pesto shrimp pasta

Prawn

Pesto Shrimp Pasta

We created this simply 20-minute meal with our garden-grown basil and several homegrown tomatoes, specifically, the grape and cherry varieties. While Chris made a nut-free pesto, Amy boiled some angel hair pasta and sauteed the shrimp with a few tomatoes and some parmesan. We added the pesto and tossed everything together for a dish that was light and summery and full of fresh flavor. The pesto was herbacious and garlicky, while the tomatoes burst in our mouths like sweet, juicy candy. Note: the pesto recipe makes about a cup, whereas you only need 1/4 cup for the shrimp pasta, so you'll have extra.

Ingredients

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup halved grape and/or cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup additional grated parmesan cheese

Directions

To make the pesto, first rinse and dry the basil leaves then put them in a food processor. Pulse several times.
Add the garlic. Pulse several times until basil and garlic are well chopped and mixed.
While the food processor is still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
Scrape the sides down and add the parmesan, salt and pepper. Pulse a few more times to mix. This recipe makes about a cup's worth of pesto. You need 1/4 cup to continue the recipe; extra freezes well.
Boil water and prepare the pasta according to package directions.
In the meantime, heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the shrimp in the oil until they begin to turn pink.
Add the halved tomatoes, 1/4 cup of parmesan and 1/4 cup of your pesto to the skillet and continue to cook 1-2 minutes.
Drain the pasta and add to the skillet. Toss everything together and serve hot.