Friday, September 18, 2009

Shrimp Pasta with Pesto

Okay, I've been reading Kelly's blog for ages and ages, and though I have always loved looking at the "Show Us Your Life" posts on Fridays, I have yet to actually participate in one. Well, this week everyone is sharing their go-to dinner recipes and I am soooooooo excited to share what Waliacha and I will be eating tonight...Yum-Yum and quick and easy!!!!!! (A little side note is that I make a TON of pesto at one time and then pour into ice cube trays and freeze. Then just toss the cubes into freezer bags and store until needed - this is a HUGE help!)









PESTO
1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper



LINGUINE
12 cherry tomatoes or 2 regular tomatoes
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces fresh linguine or thin spagetti
2 garlic cloves, minced
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Parmesan for garnish

Make the pesto: Grind the basil, pine nuts, lemon juice and parmesan with a mortar and pestle until a smooth paste forms. (Or use a food processor.) Slowly add the olive oil, grinding until a smooth sauce forms. Season the pesto with salt and pepper to taste. Then cover and set aside (or freeze).

Prepare pasta according to directions.

While the pasta cooks, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes and shrimp and cook 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are just cooked through and the garlic is tender. Stir the pesto into the shrimp mixture.
Drain the linguine, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the linguine in a large bowl with the shrimp-pesto mixture, adding enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten the sauce so that it coats the pasta evenly.

The best is you can add whatever you like to this recipe (olives, jalapenos or tonight I am adding baby portabello muchrooms and asparagus chopped). YUM YUM YUM!!!!

2 comments:

  1. Now Ann...WHO would ever read your post today? Or even comment? Or even wish you a happy weekend?

    Well....ME, for one!

    PEACE!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for stopping by my blog, Ann. That town was more in western PA, but north of Pittsburgh. Maybe that was the Mahonga... whatever(?).LOL. I am going to try your pesto recipe. I do the shrimp with linguine or angel hair all the time, but I have never had pesto. Have a great week.

    PS I have one kitty and one constantly shedding dog. I have recently removed all carpeting from my home and I love it that way! We will see if I still feel the same way when winter gets here!

    ReplyDelete

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