Shrimp Scampi is one of my favorite Italian dishes. The soft, buttery texture of the pasta with the creamy, nutty flavor of the garlic is a match made in culinary heaven. Adding dry white wine and lemon juice just makes the dish so tasty. I have made Shrimp Scampi and Chicken Scampi many times and it’s always a hit. For those of us who live in the USA, we tend to think of Scampi as the garlicy buttery sauce that the main ingredient comes in, but turns out it’s actually not the sauce at all! For the sake of familiarity, I called this Scallop Scampi with Pappardelle and Peas recipe, scampi.
What actually is scampi?
I was curious about what is described by the word scampi. As I mentioned above, I always thought it was the sauce, but turns out I was very wrong. Scampi is a large crustation, called langoustine. Sometimes also called Dublin Bay prawn, Nephrops or Norwegian lobster. These sea creatures look like prawns, but are actually closer related to lobsters. Turns out, I’ve actually never had real a Scampi dish before!
Why is it called scampi?
Scampi is the Italian word for langoustine. So when you go to an Italian restaurant and order a Shrimp Scampi, you’re actually ordering a Lobster Shrimp! That’s my fun fact for the day.
Where do langoustines come from?
Today, most langoustine are caught in the cold waters of the northern Atlantic and the North Sea. Specifically off the west coast of Scotland in the Moray Firth and toward Iceland. By the way, if you know anything about me, you know how much I absolutely love Scotland, but that’s a story for another day.
The scampi recipe.
This recipe is super easy and delicious. You can substitute scallops with shrimp, chicken, lobster or even have the buttery sauce with pasta alone. It’s that delicious.
Scallop Scampi with Pappardelle and Peas.
Equipment
- Pan
- Measuring cup
- Garlic press (optional)
Ingredients
- 12 oz. Scallops (thawed if previously frozen)
- 16 oz. Pappardelle pasta
- 4 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp Flour
- 1 tbsp Capers
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 Garlic gloves
- 1 can Sweet peas (15 oz) no salt or low sodium
- 1 cup Chicken broth (or ½ broth ½ dry white wine)
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp Parsley
- Salt & Pepper
- Green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Wash the scallops under cold running water, set on paper towels and pat dry.
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
- Drain the canned peas and set aside.
- Set the pan on medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Let the butter melt.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the dry scallops to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Add the chicken broth (or broth/wine mixture) and lemon juice. Let simmer for 3 minutes.
- Spoon in a little broth in a cup or a glass, add the flour and mix until the flour is thoroughly mixed in with the broth.
- Add the flour/broth mixture to the pan. This is going to act as a thickening agent for the sauce.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with scallops, mix the pasta and the sauce.
- Add the red pepper flakes, parsley and capers. Sauté for additional 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the peas.
- Serve and enjoy!
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