ORECCHIETTE WITH SHRIMP AND BASIL PESTO

Orecchiette with Shrimp and Basil Pesto image

Fresh basil pesto, mixed with pasta of your choice. I used orecchiette pasta, fresh gulf shrimp, and threw in some Champagne tomatoes at the end.

Provided by Chef Approved Productions

Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Shrimp

Time 35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ lemon, juiced, or to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (16 ounce) package orecchiette pasta
2 cups fresh basil
2 tablespoons pine nuts
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ pint Champagne tomatoes, halved

Steps:

Toss shrimp with lemon juice and 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper; let sit for 10 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orecchiette and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 12 to 13 minutes.
While the pasta is cooking, pulse basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a blender. Add Romano cheese; pulse until combined. Drizzle in olive oil slowly and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Drain pasta and mix with pesto; add tomatoes.
Cook shrimp in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until they are bright pink on the outside and the meat is opaque, about 3 minutes. Add to pasta.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 593.6 calories, Carbohydrate 85.9 g, Cholesterol 94 mg, Fat 16 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 27.8 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 230.7 mg, Sugar 3.3 g