Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 pound linguine
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic (, minced)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt ((not table salt))
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup pesto sauce ((homemade or store-bought))
  • 1 pound large shrimp (, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen)
  • Fresh torn basil (, for garnish)

Instruction

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil; cook your linguine according to package directions, al dente.
  • In the meantime, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour, stirring until fully incorporated and no lumps remain.
  • Bump up the heat just slightly and slowly whisk in the half-and-half, Parmesan, salt, black pepper, and cracked red pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. (Make sure your sauce isn’t boiling or it will curdle, and don’t stop whisking or you run the risk of the sauce sticking and burning.)
  • Whisk in the pesto and add the shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp turn pink, about 4 minutes.
  • Drain the pasta and either (1) add to the skillet with the sauce and toss to coat, or (2) divvy up pasta in bowls and then pour the sauce on top.
  • Garnish with fresh basil. Delicious!