Pesto Shrimp with Pine Nuts

My step-mom makes this amazing dish that I wanted to share with all of you.  Its very easy and very good!

Hope you enjoy!


Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined (medium size is best)
1 small jar (1-3/4 oz) pignolia nuts (also known as pine nuts )
1 lb pasta (rotelli, rotini, gemelli - or your own personal favorite!  I also like to use the tricolor pasta for an attractive presentation)
Approximately 4 oz pesto sauce - (add it to suite your own taste)
Approximately 4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
2 cloves garlic - crushed
fresh basil (if available)
Extra virgin olive oil
1.        Toast pignolia nuts on a tray in the toaster oven or on stove top in a pan (no oil required). ( They burn easily so watch carefully.)  Put aside.
2.        Boil water for pasta and cook according to taste.  5 minutes before the pasta is done, begin next step.
3.        Saute garlic in olive oil (about 3 tablespoons) (optional:  put 1 tablespoon salt - coarse salt is best but not necessary - in the pan with garlic and oil) and add shrimp, sautéing until done (pink).  Remove from heat.
4.        Drain pasta, and add pesto to taste.
5.        Add pignolia nuts, shrimp and half the cheese to the pasta and mix.  If you have fresh basil leaves, slice them into slivers and garnish pasta and sprinkle more cheese on top.
6.        Enjoy!