Summer Fresh: Linguine with Shrimp, Tomatoes and Basil

This is a sponsored post. I was compensated financially by Barilla to write it. All thoughts, 
feelings and opinions about their pasta are my own. 


Happy Summer everyone! Oh, it feels glorious to be kicking off my favourite season. We've had gorgeous weather in Saskatoon, and already there have been several days of It's Too Damn Hot There's No Way In Hell I'm Going To Turn My Oven On. I think it's been a week now, and I'm beginning to miss my baked goods! My house is so old and just loves to retain the heat of the day. It's a beast, I tell you. Alas, one shall not complain of the heat, as those -30C temps are only 6 months away. Instead, I shall embrace the back sweat, and just change more often into my pretty summer clothes. When it's too hot to sleep, I'll step outside and admire the solar lights my mom has plunked all over the garden. If the house feels like it's on fire, I'll turn on the hose and douse myself with the cold, cold water. It's basically the 45 year old woman's version of running through the sprinkler. Afterwards, there will be ice cream in the shade, and the trees will sway in the summer breeze and I'll be glad that I live where I do, back sweat and all.

I don't have any wild and crazy summer plans, and that's okay. My guy and I fly to Toronto in a couple of weeks - he surprised me with Foo Fighters tickets for Christmas! - so that will be a definite highlight. He knows Dave Grohl is my second boyfriend and he's okay with it. Such a catch, right? If you know of any Toronto spots where we should eat, let me know in the comments. Other than that, I'll be sticking close to home, working and playing in equal measure. My mom has taken over gardening duties in my yard, and it has never looked so good. I love drinking cold brew with her on the deck, admiring the peonies and counting the Blue Jays which have taken up residence in my apple tree. These are the moments of summer I treasure.

So, what to cook when the temps are high and the incentive to turn the oven on is very low? One can eat only so many salads, in my opinion, thus a quick pasta dish comes to the rescue. This one is very shrimpy and very tomatoey. Those aren't really words, but they fit the bill here. There's also stuff you likely have on hand, like garlic, lemon, butter and white wine - some for the pot, and some for you, too. I love stepping outside my back door and snipping off fresh leaves of basil whenever I like, and it really does make this pasta taste like summer. This linguine is uncomplicated and delicious - just the way summer should be.

Linguine with Shrimp, Tomatoes and Basil

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Makes 4 servings

1 box of Barilla linguine

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

3/4 cup dry white wine

juice and zest of 1 lemon

3 Tbsp butter

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil

grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions - about 8 minutes for al dente. Drain, and reserve about 3/4 cup of the pasta water.
•  While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking just until the garlic begins to brown. Stir in the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Add the tomatoes, white wine, lemon zest and juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes. 
• Add the butter, stirring to melt. Dump in the linguine and reserved pasta water, stirring so everything mingles nicely. 
• Stir in the fresh basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the pasta into four bowls and garnish with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.