Tagliatelle con Gamberi, Crema e Pesto
- May 5
- 2 min read
Tagliatelle con Gamberi, Crema e Pesto By Master Chef Gianluca Deiana Abis
🕰 Prep Time: 30 minutes
👨🍳 Difficulty: Moderate
📜 History
This dish is a modern Italian fusion inspired by the coastal traditions of Liguria and southern regions where seafood is a daily staple. The creaminess of the sauce recalls the northern penchant for richer textures, while the vibrant green pesto alla Genovese roots the plate in Ligurian heritage. Shrimp, a favorite in Italian coastal cuisine, adds elegance and sweetness, blending perfectly with the aromatic pesto and smooth cream.
🍝 Ingredients (Serves 4)
For the Pasta:
350g tagliatelle (fresh egg pasta preferred)
For the Sauce:
250g shrimp, peeled and deveined
200ml heavy cream (preferably Italian panna da cucina)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
100ml dry white wine (e.g., Vermentino)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Pesto (Classic Ligurian Style):
50g fresh basil leaves
30g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
20g Pecorino Sardo, grated
1 garlic clove
15g pine nuts (pinoli)
80ml extra virgin olive oil
A 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.
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