Cavatappi with Pesto, Shrimp, and Asparagus

I realize that I'm a little late with the asparagus. Its season peaked a few months ago. But since we live in the supermarket age where produce can be grown just about anywhere in the world and shipped to your dinner table, I can get away with this. I did try this recipe back in the spring using gnocchi (small potato dumplings, like these) instead of cavatappi. But I decided to tweak the recipe a bit and remake it in the future. Gnocchi is still a great option. (And I probably would have stuck with it, but Dustin prefers plain old pasta.) I threw in the cherry tomatoes as an ode to summer, knowing they would add a beautiful punch of color to the dish (and juicy bursts of flavor). I don't bother cooking the tomatoes, but rather stirring them in after removing the pasta from the heat. While the steam will still soften them, I think they're best as fresh as possible.

Cavatappi with Pesto, Shrimp, and Asparagus

INGREDIENTS
12 oz. whole wheat cavatappi
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb. raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated for serving

Basil Pesto:
1 packed cup fresh basil
1/3 cup pine nuts (pistachios can also be used)
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated for serving
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. To prepare the pesto, combine basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan in a food processor. Pulse until well combined. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta (reserving about 1 cup of cooking water) and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and a pinch of red pepper flakes and saute until tender-crisp. Add the shrimp and saute until just cooked through (they will curl and turn opaque).

4. Toss shrimp and asparagus with the cooked pasta, pesto, and tomatoes, thinning with some of the reserved cooking water as necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black peper. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)