Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Pasta

For anyone who has a taste for seafood and especially all things crustaceans, ultimate shrimp scampi is the perfect meal any day of the week.

This Italian dish is made with fresh shrimp cooked in white wine, butter, garlic and olive oil, with a spicy kick from red chili flakes. Prepared carefully, served over linguini and paired with a glass of Pinot Grigio, this dish is fit for the gods.

So when the next time your craving strike for an indulgent seafood dinner, this recipe will come to your rescue. Easy and quick to prepare, this recipe will get a delicious dinner ready in half an hour.

Health Benefits

Although shrimp are full of protein, omega 3 fats and other nutrients, they are also quite high in cholesterol. This means that you should not consume this dish in large amounts and have it sporadically.

Ingredients

linguini pasta: 1 lbs

large shrimps (peeled, deveined with tails on): 20

large shallot (finely chopped): 1

cloves of garlic, sliced: 5

Butter: 4 tbsp

extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling): 4 tbsp

dry white wine: 1/2 cup

lemon Juice: 1

Red chili flakes: 1/2 tsp

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

fresh parsley leaves (finely chopped): 1/4 cup

How To Make Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Pasta

For the Linguini

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
2. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and add the linguini and stir.
3. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil again.
4. When water returns to a boil, cook the pasta for 6-8 more minutes or until al dente.
5. Drain the pasta through colander, reserving about 1 cup of the boiled water.

For the Shrimp Scampi

1. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add half of the butter and oil.
2. Add shallots, red chili flakes and garlic to the skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the shallots are translucent.
3. Season shrimp with salt and pepper in a separate bowl, then add them to the skillet.
4. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes or until they turn pink and opaque. Remove them from the skillet into a plate and set side.
5. Add wine and lemon juice to the skillet and bring it to a boil.
6. Add the remaining butter and oil to the skillet and stir until butter has melted.
7. Add shrimp, parsley, cooked linguini and reserved water to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and stir well.
8. Drizzle with more olive oil and serve immediately.

Trivia

• After fish, shrimp are the most eaten sea food across the world, with over five billion pound produced each year just for food. The USA alone consumes over 1 billion pound of shrimp each year.

Did you know that this was originally named after the crustacean it was made with, which are similar to lobsters? When there was a shortage of scampi, Italians and other natives swapped scampi with shrimp.