Spicy Southern Style Shimp over Lemon Basil Pasta

Found this recipe from Half Baked Harvest and loved that is was a spicy take on our everyday shrimp recipes. The recipe calls for orzo, but for some reason our son doesn't like orzo.  I keep telling him it is just  a really small pasta.  I used farfalle and just the recipe in half because we only had a pound of shrimp in the freezer.  Such great flavor with the cajun seasoning. 

1 pound pasta (I used farfalle)

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

juice from 1/2 a lemon

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon plus 1-2 teaspoons cajun seasoning

kosher salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon salted butter

2 bell peppers, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc

1 cup milk or heavy creamy

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain and add it right back to the hot pot. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 cup basil, lemon juice, and season with salt.

Meanwhile, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning.

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook on both sides until seared, about 2-3 minutes per side. Add the butter, then remove the shrimp from the pan. 

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, bell peppers, garlic, and thyme. Cook another 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the wine. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Then add the milk, parmesan, and 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. Slide the shrimp into the sauce, simmer 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in a handful of basil.

Spoon the pasta onto plates, then spoon the shrimp and sauce over the pasta. Top with fresh basil. Enjoy!