Shrimp Scampi with Pasta

Some of our most favorite recipes have been born out of a lack of groceries in the house. And this Shrimp Scampi with Pasta recipe is the perfect example. It was late in the afternoon just a few months ago, and we were both equally eyeing what was in our fridge, and what time it was. We had been planning on going grocery shopping, but the day had gotten away from us. And now given the time, the idea of being stuck in rush hour traffic both ways and fighting the post-work crowds was less than appealing. So just as I have so many times before, I reassured Ryan that I would think of something clever to whip together.

Worst case scenario we would end up having either Aglio Olio (which is a great pantry dish), or pasta with brown butter and fresh sage (an equally great pantry dish). But luckily we had a few key ingredients in the house that gave us just a little more flexibility. In addition to our normal pantry items of butter, lemons, fresh pasta, white wine and cheese, we also happened to have some shrimp and a little bundle of fresh parsley. So Shrimp Scampi it was!

Shrimp Scampi with Pasta for Two

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 1/2 Ounces Pasta

4 Large Garlic Cloves – minced

1/2 Pound Shrimp – peeled, deveined + halved lengthwise

1/3 Cup White Wine

1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley – chopped

Zest of 1/2 Lemon

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 Pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Salt + Freshly Cracked Pepper

1/4 Cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1. Bring your pasta water to a boil, and prepare all of your ingredients. (Because this recipe comes together in a jiffy!) If you are using fresh pasta, cook your sauce first. But if you are using dry pasta, you will be able to cook the sauce during the seven to eight minutes that it takes your pasta to cook.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter along with the 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat.
3. Once melted, add in your minced garlic and your pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Give everything a quick stir, and then gently sauté it for about one minute.
4. Throw in your shrimp, a generous pinch of coarse sea salt, and some freshly cracked pepper. Sauté the shrimp until they are just starting to turn pink, but remove them from the pan before they fully cook, and set them aside.
5. Add your white wine and your lemon juice to the pan. Bring this to a boil, and then let it reduce for about 3 minutes. (Depending on how hot your flame is, this could take more or less time. Just watch for a little reduction in the liquid.)
6. Now add in your final tablespoon of butter, and stir the sauce while it melts in. (This would also be a great time to taste your sauce for seasoning.)
7. Pop your shrimp back into the pan along with your lemon zest, and the fresh parsley. Stir to combine, giving your shrimp just about one minute to finish cooking.
8. Immediately ladle in your cooked pasta (reserving the pasta water), and stir it into the sauce over the medium flame for another minute or so. You want to make sure that your pasta and your sauce really meld and get happy together.
9. If your sauce has reduced a lot, then you may want to add in a little pasta water. Just add a few tablespoons at a time, and continue to mix, stir and meld the pasta and the sauce together over the heat until you have reached your desired consistency.
10. Plate your pasta, top it with a sprinkle of parmigiano reggiano, and buon appetito!