Pasta with Pistachio Pesto and Shrimp

Name: Pasta with Pistachio Pesto and Shrimp
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Fusilli pasta 11.3 oz; Shrimps 12; Sweet Pancetta 4.2 oz; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Pistachios green, shelled, and skinless 1 ½ cup; Grana Padano PDO cheese to grate 1.2 oz; Lemon peel to grate ½; Basil 1.8 oz; Garlic 1 clove; Extra virgin olive oil 7 tbsp; Water 0.4 cup; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

1062

Calories per serving

Lactose Free

Energy Kcal 1062
Carbohydrates g 77.5
of which sugars g 11.2
Protein g 39.6
Fats g 66
of which saturated fat g 12.35
Fiber g 8.5
Cholesterol mg 154
Sodium mg 787

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: High

PRESENTATION

If you usually limit yourself to serving pistachios as a snack to munch on during happy hour, this recipe will surprise you! Pasta with pistachio pesto and shrimp is a delicious first course that combines dried fruit with the sweetness of shellfish and the savory note of pancetta. For the pasta shape, we chose fusilli because they are perfect for capturing pistachio pesto, a unique-tasting and envelopingly creamy condiment. Simple to make but with great impact, this dish also lends itself to other tasty variations: like the one with salmon.

Discover how many first courses can be prepared with pistachio crumbles:

Gluten-free pasta with pistachio pesto, shrimp, and dried tomatoes
Paccheri with burrata cream and pancetta
Farfalle with Parmesan cream, speck, and pistachios
Creamy paccheri with guanciale and pistachio
Pasta with pistachio pesto

INGREDIENTS

1062

Calories per serving

Fusilli pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)

Shrimps 12

Sweet Pancetta 4.2 oz (120 g)

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Fine salt to taste

For the Pistachio Pesto: Pistachios 1 ½ cup (200 g) - green, shelled, and skinless; Grana Padano PDO cheese 1.2 oz (35 g) - to grate; Lemon peel ½ - to grate; Basil 1.8 oz (50 g); Garlic 1 clove; Extra virgin olive oil 7 tbsp (100 g); Water 0.4 cup (100 g); Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Pasta with Pistachio Pesto and Shrimp

To make pasta with pistachio pesto and shrimp, first put the pot with water on the stove to cook the pasta, to be salted when boiling. Proceed with the pistachio pesto: peel the garlic clove and cut it in half, then remove the core 1. You can pour it into cold water and count one minute from the start of boiling 2: this way it will be more digestible and delicate. In the cup of a blender, pour the pistachios and grated Grana Padano DOP 3.

Add the oil 4, garlic 5, and water 6.

Also add the basil leaves 7 and the grated lemon zest 8, salt, pepper, and blend until you get a creamy and homogeneous consistency 9.

Move on to cleaning the shrimp: remove the head 10 and shell, then slit the back with a small knife 11 and gently extract the internal vein 12.

Cut and then pour the pancetta into a large, already hot pan 13, brown for a few minutes until golden and crispy 14. Set aside the pancetta 15 and keep the pan with the cooking base.

In the meantime, the water will have come to a boil, so pour in the pasta 16 and cook it for 3 minutes less than the time indicated on the package. In the pan where you browned the pancetta, sear the shrimp on one side for a couple of minutes 17, then deglaze the base with a ladleful of pasta cooking water 18 and turn off the heat.

Drain the pasta directly into the pan with the shrimp 19, then add another ladleful of cooking water 20 and the pancetta 21.

Also add the pistachio pesto 22, mix well, and toss everything until the liquid is absorbed. Finally, dress with a drizzle of raw oil 23. Your pasta with pistachio pesto and shrimp is ready to be served 24!

How to store

It is recommended to serve the pasta with pistachio pesto and shrimp immediately. Alternatively, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one day.

If desired, you can prepare the pistachio pesto in advance and store it in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, making sure it is covered with a layer of oil. You can also freeze it in convenient single portions.

Tips

To make pistachio pesto, it is preferable to use green and shelled pistachios to obtain a more vibrant color, but if you have pistachios with the skin, it is not a problem: the dish will have a more rustic look, but the taste will not suffer!

If you prefer to shell them, proceed as follows: blanch the pistachios for one minute, then immediately transfer them to ice water to keep them bright green. Finally, rub them with a cloth to remove the skin.

Those who like the full taste of garlic can avoid blanching it; those who don't like it at all can simply omit it.

If you prefer, you can use rum or brandy to deglaze the shrimp instead of pasta cooking water.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.