Sicilian Shrimp and Pistachio Pasta

Ingredients

• 14 oz (400g) Spaghetti or linguine
• ¾ cup (120g) unsalted pistachios
• 2 cups (20g) fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• ⅓ cup olive oil (plus more for sauteeing)
• 6 oz (160g) raw shrimp/prawns (see notes if using cooked shrimp)
• ½ to 1 cup (125ml to 240ml) reserved pasta water
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped pistachios (optional)

Steps

1. 1

   First, wash and prep the shrimp by deveining them if needed.

2. 2

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Add your pasta and cook until al dente

3. 3

   To make the pesto, put the pistachios, basil, garlic and olive oil in a food processor and blitz to a paste, add more oil if needed. The paste should be thick with some medium-sized chunks of nuts. Set aside.

4. 4

   Heat a large pan on a medium-high heat with around 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook on both sides until pink and cooked through (only about a minute or so).

5. 5

   Add the pistachio pesto with ½ cup (125ml) of reserved pasta water and stir through until dissolved into a sauce. Add more reserved water if needed (another ½ cup or 125ml).

6. 6

   Finally, add the cooked spaghetti and stir through to coat in the sauce. Serve with more chopped pistachios for serving if desired.