Angel Hair Pasta in a Creamy Basil Pesto Sauce with Shrimp
I recently posted a video on my gardening YouTube channel, “Garden time with Bel”, showing my followers how I like to harvest my end of the summer basil and turn it into beautiful pesto. I’ll keep some freshly made pesto in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks and I’ll also be sure to freeze several batches that I can use for months to come…when the garden is closed for winter. Insert “sigh”.
The evening after I filmed how to make basil pesto, I used some in an impromptu pasta dish. I just made it up on the fly, using ingredients that I love. It turned out super delicious. Creamy, tender, with great pesto and shrimp flavor.
If you’re not a gardener who grows basil and doesn’t want to make your own pesto, just visit your local grocery store and try to source a high quality
Buon Appetito!
Angel Hair Pasta in a Creamy Pesto Sauce with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1/2 – 3/4 pound angel hair pasta
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 3/4 cup finely diced onion
- 1 cup finely diced button mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic,finely minced
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup half n half
- 1 tbsp flour
- dash worchestershire sauce
- dash hot sauce
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In large pot, heat water to boiling for pasta.
- As water come ups to a boil, prepare sauce.
- In a large, deep skillet, add olive oil over medium high heat
- In a bowl, toss shrimp with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme.
- Saute season shrimp in skillet over medium high heat for about 1-2 minutes
- Remove shrimp from skillet with slotted spoon and place on plate…set aside.
- Add onion, mushrooms and garlic to skillet and saute until onion is translucent (about 5 minutes)
- In small bowl combine basil pesto, cream, half n half, flour, worchestershire, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Turn heat in skillet down to medium, pour in cream mixture. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens.
- While sauce is cooking, put pasta in well salted, boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes, until al dente.
- Add shrimp to skillet simmer for about 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add drained pasta to skillet with sauce. Add parmesan cheese. Toss gently.
- Serve pasta in bowls and top with freshly minced basil or parsley.
Notes
- Once the water begins to boil, add plenty of sea salt before adding dried pasta.
- Angel hair pasta cooks very quickly (3-4 minutes max)
- Be like the Italians, always toss your freshly cooked pasta right into the skillet with your sauce. This way the noodles will absorb the amazing flavor of the sauce. Avoid putting plain pasta in a bowl and then topping it with sauce. TOSS your pasta with sauce to make sure every strand of pasta is coated in goodness!
