We have been in a bit of a shrimp kick this summer. Wild caught gulf shrimp, it may not be local, but it is certainly good.

 My goal is to combine the shrimp with food from my garden.  Today it is my basil, garlic, and tomatoes.  Oops there is a bruised leaf in my picture – don’t worry, it did not make it into the pesto.  I love the combination of pesto and fresh tomatoes.  The tomatoes brighten up the pesto and the pesto brings out the flavor in the tomato.

 Instead of just searing the shrimp, I cooked it in a little bit of garlic and olive oil.  That may be the key to this whole dish – the shrimp could have carried the day on their own. But the combination of the shrimp, pesto and fresh tomatoes made for a near perfect topping for the linguine.  All it needed was some freshly grated grana padano (or parmigiano reggiano).

Pasta with Pesto, Fresh Tomatoes and Garlic Shrimp

12 oz linguine or other pasta of your choice

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced (from the garden)

24 – 30 medium-sized shrimp (wild caught)

1/2 cup Pesto

1 large tomato, chopped (from the garden)

Grana padano or parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 second – 1 minute.

Add the shrimp, cook and turn after 2 minutes.  Cook for another 2 minutes or until cooked through.

Put the shrimp and pesto into a large dish.

Add the cooked pasta and tomato.

 Serve with freshly grated cheese. Enjoy!

Serves 4.