Gnocchi with Sweet Basil Pesto and Garlic Butter Shrimp

This buttery, garlicky shrimp and pesto over gnocchi or pasta is a comfort food I like to cook once in a while. Serve it with garlic toast and, if you like, a plain salad.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh sweet basil, stemmed
• 5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 4 tablespoons pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 0.5 tablespoon salt
• 0.5 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 0.25 pound raw shrimp
• 1 (12 ounce) package potato gnocchi

Steps

1. Combine basil, 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil, whole garlic cloves, salt, and pepper in a blender; puree until pesto is smooth.
2. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add shrimp; cook and stir until opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook gnocchi in the boiling water until they float to the top, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain. Mix pesto into gnocchi and serve with shrimp. Garnish with remaining Parmesan cheese.