Chef notes
If you love Italian food and seafood, there’s nowhere better to eat than Liguria. The Northern Italian region’s coastline is home to some of the country’s brightest fare, including its most famous dish: pesto. I spent a month in Liguria a few years ago and was surprised to see not only the classic version — made with olive oil, basil, pine nuts and Parmigiano-Reggiano — but countless variations. For this easy pasta recipe, I’m doing my own twist on the classic by tweaking two ingredients. First, I swapped pine nuts for pistachios for a stronger and more distinct flavor. And then I replaced the Parmigiano with mild ricotta. The ricotta and pistachio together allow all the nuttiness to shine through the pesto, while a hit of lemon marries it seamlessly with briny shrimp.
This recipe is perfect for weeknights because it only takes fifteen minutes to pull together. But because it’s so gorgeous — a green and pink pasta of Pinterest dreams — you can easily serve it to guests for a dinner party. And the bonus is you can always make the pesto first and keep it in the fridge, saving yourself the extra work when you’re ready to go.
Let yourself imagine summertime by the sea — no matter the time of year —with this simple, vibrant pasta dish.
Technique Tip: Don’t be afraid to cook your shrimp on high heat — that’s how you get a charred exterior and tender bite.
Swap Option: This recipe works with any pasta of your choosing, so feel free to swap the linguine for anything else you have on hand.
Dining and Cooking