SEAFOOD LINGUINI WITH PESTO SAUCE

Seafood|Ciao Bella|Italian|Pasta

Ingredients

The Pesto:

4 cups basil leaves, packed

5 garlic cloves, peeled and rough chopped

¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

¾ cup pistachios, shelled

½ teaspoon salt

¾-1 cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup water

The Seafood:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 large onion, chopped

6 large cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

½ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice from 1 lemon)

4 tablespoons cold butter pats

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half

8 ounces frozen baby whole clams (shelled), thawed

8 ounces frozen squid (cut into rings and tentacles), thawed

1 pound linguini pasta, cooked 2 minutes LESS THAN al dente to package directions (reserve ½ cup of the pasta water)

Parmesan cheese on the side for sprinkling

Instructions

To make the pesto, place all of the ingredients, except the olive oil, in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until finely chopped and blended.

Put the processor on low speed and slowly drizzle the olive oil in the top of the lid until a creamy paste forms. Gradually add as much of the water as needed to create a smooth and creamy consistency. Set aside.

To prepare the seafood, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat.

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with about ½ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the hot oil in a single layer and sear for about 1-2 minutes on each side until they turn pink and curl slightly. They will be just barely cooked through and will continue to cook with the pasta. Remove from the pan and set aside

Add the onions and garlic to the pan drippings from the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Ciao Bella Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and lemon juice to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, letting the juices reduce by about half.

Reduce the heat to medium low and add the butter, stirring constantly until melts.

Add the tomatoes, baby clams, and squid to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes more, stirring frequently, until the squid is cooked. Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss. Then add 1 ½ cups of the pesto and ¼ cup of the pasta water to the pan. Toss, toss, toss until everything is evenly coated. If you like the sauce a little looser, you can gradually add a little more of the pasta water and toss again. I also like to dollop a little extra pesto over the top of each dish, but this is optional.

Serve in bowls garnished with basil, lemon, and with parmesan on the side for sprinkling.