Spaghetti with Cilantro-Pistachio Pesto and Shrimp

Directions

1. Get your spaghetti going in a pot of heavily salted water, and cook until al dente – reserving about a half a cup of pasta water.
2. While you wait for you water to boil, make your pesto. Combine all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor, and alternate between pulse and scraping down the sides – adding the olive oil last – until combined into a paste.
3. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat a 12 inch stainless steel sauté pan to medium high heat, and after a few minutes coat the bottom with olive oil (should be about 1 ½ tbsp.)
4. Once the oil is hot, arrange the shrimp evenly in the pan a cook for about 3-4 minutes per side (depending on how big) and set aside.
5. Turn down the heat to medium and deglaze the pan with 2 tbsp. of dry white wine (I used a pinot grigio) and scrape up any fond or bits that have accumulated.
6. Toss in your cherry tomatoes into the pan and toss for 1-2 minutes. Add in your cooked pasta, a few splashes of pasta water, and two heaping tbsp. of your cilantro pesto. Stir this all around and toss the pan to combine for another 2 minutes or so.
7. Divide the pasta between two bowls and arrange the shrimp on top. Top with a sprig of cilantro each and serve!