Italian Tagliatelle con Gamberi, Crema e Pesto | Tagliatelle con Gamberi, Crema e Pesto
- May 5, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Story and History
This dish pairs tagliatelle with sweet shrimp in a cream sauce brightened by a spoonful of fresh basil pesto stirred in at the end. It's a rich but bright plate that balances creaminess with herbal freshness.
Ingredients
For the Pasta
350g tagliatelle (fresh egg pasta preferred)
For the Sauce
250g shrimp, peeled and deveined200ml heavy cream (preferably Italian panna da cucina)3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil2 garlic cloves, smashed100ml dry white wine (e.g., Vermentino)Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Pesto (Classic Ligurian Style)
50g fresh basil leaves30g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated20g Pecorino Sardo, grated1 garlic clove15g pine nuts (pinoli)80ml extra virgin olive oilA pinch of coarse sea salt
🍳 Preparation
1. Prepare the Pesto (can be made ahead)
In a mortar and pestle, crush garlic and a pinch of salt until creamy. Add basil a handful at a time, pounding gently. Add pine nuts and cheeses, mixing into a paste. Drizzle in the olive oil slowly while mixing to emulsify. Set aside.
🔪 Chef’s Tip: Never blend pesto at high speed or it will oxidize and turn bitter. Mortar and pestle is tradition, but a short pulse in a food processor works in a pinch.
2. Cook the Shrimp
In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add smashed garlic cloves and sauté until golden. Remove garlic. Add shrimp and cook for 1 minute per side. Deglaze with white wine, let it reduce by half. Remove shrimp and set aside.
3. Make the Cream Sauce
To the same pan, add cream and a tablespoon of pesto. Stir gently and let simmer 2–3 minutes. Return shrimp to pan and heat for another minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm on low heat.
4. Cook the Pasta
Boil the tagliatelle in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain the rest.
5. Combine
Toss the drained pasta into the pan with the shrimp and cream. Add a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Finish with 2 more tablespoons of pesto, stirring gently off the heat.
🍷 Wine Pairing
Vermentino di Gallura DOCGA crisp, floral white from Sardinia that complements the sweetness of shrimp and cuts through the richness of the cream and pesto with minerality and acidity.
💡 Chef’s Final Tip
If you want to elevate the dish, garnish with micro basil and a few toasted pine nuts. Always serve it immediately—this dish loses its charm if reheated.
Servings and Timing
Servings: 4. Prep Time: about 30 minutes. Cook Time: about 25 minutes. Total Time: about 55 minutes.
Ingredient Notes
Ingredient quality matters because Italian Tagliatelle con Gamberi, Crema e Pesto | Tagliatelle con Gamberi, Crema e Pesto leaves little room to hide imbalance. Prepare principal ingredients before the final cooking stage, grate cheese close to service, keep herbs fresh, and judge moisture as carefully as salt.
Preparation
Preparing the Base
Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells if making a quick stock.
Preparing the Main Mixture
If desired, simmer the shrimp shells briefly with water and aromatics to build a light stock, then strain.
Technical Explanation
Combining the Components
Heat olive oil in a wide pan, sauté a little garlic, then add the shrimp and cook until just pink, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Cooking or Baking
Add the cream to the same pan and simmer gently until slightly thickened.
Cooling and Setting
Cook the tagliatelle until al dente, reserving a cup of pasta water before draining.
Texture and Moisture Control
Keep every sauce or component slightly looser than its final target consistency, since it continues to thicken as parts come together.
Professional consistency depends on controlling hydration and heat from the first preparation stage through final service. Work gently enough to preserve structure, keep shaped or portioned pieces uniform so they cook at the same rate, and test one piece before committing the entire batch. Finish in manageable quantities whenever possible so the sauce remains glossy and the pasta, rice, dumpling, soup, or filled pasta reaches the plate at the intended texture. Correct looseness with hot cooking liquid and excess moisture with brief controlled reduction rather than unnecessary thickeners.
Professional consistency depends on controlling hydration and heat from the first preparation stage through final service. Work gently enough to preserve structure, keep shaped or portioned pieces uniform so they cook at the same rate, and test one piece before committing the entire batch. Finish in manageable quantities whenever possible so the sauce remains glossy and the pasta, rice, dumpling, soup, or filled pasta reaches the plate at the intended texture. Correct looseness with hot cooking liquid and excess moisture with brief controlled reduction rather than unnecessary thickeners.
Professional consistency depends on controlling hydration and heat from the first preparation stage through final service. Work gently enough to preserve structure, keep shaped or portioned pieces uniform so they cook at the same rate, and test one piece before committing the entire batch. Finish in manageable quantities whenever possible so the sauce remains glossy and the pasta, rice, dumpling, soup, or filled pasta reaches the plate at the intended texture. Correct looseness with hot cooking liquid and excess moisture with brief controlled reduction rather than unnecessary thickeners.
Professional consistency depends on controlling hydration and heat from the first preparation stage through final service. Work gently enough to preserve structure, keep shaped or portioned pieces uniform so they cook at the same rate, and test one piece before committing the entire batch. Finish in manageable quantities whenever possible so the sauce remains glossy and the pasta, rice, dumpling, soup, or filled pasta reaches the plate at the intended texture. Correct looseness with hot cooking liquid and excess moisture with brief controlled reduction rather than unnecessary thickeners.
Professional consistency depends on controlling hydration and heat from the first preparation stage through final service. Work gently enough to preserve structure, keep shaped or portioned pieces uniform so they cook at the same rate, and test one piece before committing the entire batch. Finish in manageable quantities whenever possible so the sauce remains glossy and the pasta, rice, dumpling, soup, or filled pasta reaches the plate at the intended texture. Correct looseness with hot cooking liquid and excess moisture with brief controlled reduction rather than unnecessary thickeners.
Professional Technique
For consistent professional results, work in measured stages and keep the principal ingredient at the center of the preparation. Taste and adjust seasoning at each major stage rather than only at the end.
Professional Mise en Place
Have every ingredient prepped and measured before starting to cook — this dish moves quickly once assembly begins.
Chef Tips
Taste each component on its own before combining, so the finished dish is balanced rather than relying on the last step to fix seasoning.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake is rushing a step that needs time to develop flavor — give each stage the time it needs.
Plating
Off the heat, stir in a generous spoonful of basil pesto, divide among warm plates, and finish with an extra dollop of pesto.
Wine Pairing
Vermentino di Sardegna DOC's herbal freshness complements the basil pesto and shrimp.
Falanghina del Sannio DOC offers a similarly crisp alternative.
Gavi DOCG is another reliable, food-friendly option.
Storage & Reheating
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days; reheat gently, loosening with a little stock or water if needed.
Nutrition per Serving
Nutrition
Portion sizes and richness vary by dish; balance this course against the rest of the meal accordingly.
Final Note
Final Assembly
Toss the drained tagliatelle with the cream sauce, loosening with pasta water as needed, then fold the shrimp back in to warm through.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara demonstrates one of the most important principles of Italian cooking: simplicity does not mean lack of technique. There are very few ingredients in this dish, which means every decision becomes visible. The guanciale must be rendered correctly. The Pecorino must be finely grated. The pasta must remain al dente. The pasta water must be preserved. Most importantly, the temperature must be controlled when the eggs meet the spaghetti. Master those details and there is no need for cream, butter, or additional ingredients. The richness comes from the ingredients. The creaminess comes from technique. Chef Gianluca
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