Shrimp and penne with spring herb pesto

By TeriGreene

Ingredients

• For the shrimp and penne:
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3/4 pound penne rigate
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 pound snap peas (3 cups)
• 1/2 cup spring herb pesto (see recipe below)
• 4 ounces ricotta (1/2 cup)
• Grated Parmesan and extra-virgin olive oil, for serving (optional)
• For the spring herb pesto:
• 1 bunch parsley, large stems removed
• 1/2 bunch mint, stems removed
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Preparation
• To make the shrimp and penne:

Preparation

Step 1

To make the shrimp and penne:

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. In last 3 minutes of cooking, add shrimp and snap peas and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout and peas are bright green. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta mixture and return to pot. Add pesto and toss to coat, adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Top with ricotta. If desired, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with Parmesan.

To make the spring herb pesto:

In a food processor, process 1 bunch parsley, large stems removed, 1/2 bunch mint, stems removed, 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds, and 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil until smooth. To store, refrigerate pesto in an airtight container, up to 5 days.

Serving Size