Of Shrimp Pesto Pasta

I love shrimps. Shrimps remind me of Forrest Gump's friend, Bubba, and how he listed all the things you can do to shrimps. Like Bubba says, "...boil it, broil it, bake it, sautee it..." The one dish he wasn't able to mention was shrimp with pesto and pasta. Although, I have a feeling that he probably did, it just didn't make it to the movie. 

 For this dish, I had to devein the shrimp, which is not something my family usually does to shrimp. When my family cooks shrimps, we usually cook them without removing the shell or the head or the digestive tract. I think most Filipino dishes call for the whole shrimp; unpeeled, not decapitated and not deveined. My dad says that this is to make sure the juices stay in the shrimp. One of my favorite things to do to a shrimp is to suck out the juices from the head, especially when it's cooked in sinigang (sour soup). 

For today, though, we look towards Italy for inspiration. In all honesty, I'll admit that I think the only thing that's Italian in this dish is the pasta and the pesto. I still feel like I cooked this dish like a Filipino. I also have to admit that I did not make the pesto. I used Jamie Oliver's jarred pesto. I'll tell you more about it later.

So, you want to have this for dinner? Here's what you need: (Be warned since I basically made this in my head first, there's practically no measurements involved. You'll need to rely on you instincts.)

Pasta, cooked according to directions on the box, amount depends on how much you'll eat

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic (I know the pesto already has some, but I like adding a bit more)

1 small onion

1/8 kg shrimp or 5-6 pieces (per person, I like being generous)

3 tablespoons basil pesto

2 tablespoons cream cheese

more olive oil if needed

In a pan, heat the olive oil and sautee the garlic until golden brown. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the shrimps. You'll know the shrimps are cooked when they turn orange. (Make sure they turn orange, but don't cook them too long or they'll become tough) Add in the pesto and the cream cheese. If the mixture is too dry, you can add a little more olive oil, but don't overdo it. Pour the whole mixture over a bed of pasta. Top with more cream cheese.

Now, let me tell you more about the pesto I used. I used Jamie Oliver's Italian Herb Pesto. I don't usually use this pesto. I usually use Classico's Traditional Basil Pesto. Between the two, I prefer Classico's. I found Jamie Oliver's a bit too dry. Classico had a little more olive oil, which was nice. Taste-wise, Classico still beats Jamie Oliver's, at least that's what I think. Has anyone else tried both? What do you think?