Shrimp Scampi Crocante
A crispy take on an Italian classic. This recipe provides the comfort of a traditional scampi with the textures you’ve been dreaming of.
What you’ll need:
8oz angel hair pasta (half a box)
1lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup lemon juice
8 tblsp butter (the whole stick)
1/3 cup olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch oregano
Big pinch of salt + more to taste
Pepper to taste
Diced tomato (optional but delicious)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley ( you can also sprinkle a couple pinches of the dried stuff if it’s what you have on hand)
For the crunchy bits:
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or 1/2 cup if using pre-grated cheese)
Zest of half a lemon
The process:
Cook the pasta according to package- I don’t need to rewrite that here… just make sure to heavily salt the water, we have culture here.
After peeling and deveining shrimp, place on a plate with a paper towel and pat dry.
Once dried, sprinkle with big pinch of salt, preferably sea salt but any salt is better than none. Shrimp are from the sea and need to feel at home in your kitchen.
Heat large oven safe pan on medium-high heat to melt butter. Add olive oil and garlic. Sautée 2-3 minutes, making sure heat isn’t too high as to burn the garlic. Add the red pepper flakes and the oregano, stir to combine.
Next, add the lemon juice, shrimp and then sprinkle with pepper. Cook shrimp until pink as a flamingo.
(Btw, flamingos are pink because of the shrimp they eat. #science)
Now back to our regularly scheduled recipe-
While shrimp is taking on its avian form, mix all ingredients of the crispy bits plus a table spoon or so of olive oil. Mix together well so it has almost a sandy texture.
Once shrimps are pink, remove pan from heat. Mix in diced tomato if adding.
You can stop here if you want a traditional shrimp scampi and are afraid of change.
But if you’re daring…
Turn on your ovens broiler to high.
Sprinkle the crispy bits on top of the shrimps, I found that pushing the shrimps together worked best so that I got most of the breadcrumbs on the shrimp and not in the sauce. Use as much or as little as you like.
Place on oven rack high in the oven for 2-4 minutes. Watch carefully as these can burn very quickly and then you will be sad.
Once golden brown and full of happiness, remove from oven.
*mine got a little extra crispy but still delicious
Serve over angel hair pasta and garnish with parsley.
Buon appetito!
None of the nonsense
What you’ll need:
8oz angel hair pasta (half a box)
1lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup lemon juice
8 tblsp butter (the whole stick)
1/3 cup olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch oregano
Big pinch of salt + more to taste
Pepper to taste
Diced tomato (optional but delicious)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley ( you can also sprinkle a couple pinches of the dried stuff if it’s what you have on hand)
For the crispy bits:
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or 1/2 cup if using the pre-grated cheese)
Zest of half a lemon
The process:
Cook the pasta according to package instructions- salting the water appropriately.
After peeling and deveining shrimp, place on a plate with a paper towel and pat dry.
Once dried, sprinkle with big pinch of salt, preferably sea salt but any salt is better than none.
Heat large oven safe pan on medium-high heat to melt butter. Add olive oil and garlic. Sautée 2-3 minutes, making sure heat isn’t too high as to burn the garlic. Add the red pepper flakes and the oregano, stir to combine.
Next, add the lemon juice, shrimp and then sprinkle with pepper. Cook shrimp until pink.
While shrimp is cooking, mix all ingredients of the crispy bits plus a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Mix together well so it has almost a sandy texture.
Once shrimps are pink, remove pan from heat. Mix in diced tomato if adding.
(You can stop here and serve over pasta if you want a traditional shrimp scampi.)
Turn on your ovens broiler to high.
Sprinkle the crispy bits on top of the shrimp, I found that pushing the shrimps together worked best so that I got most of the breadcrumbs on the shrimp and not in the sauce. Use as much or as little as you like.
Place on oven rack high in the oven for 2-4 minutes. Watch carefully as these can burn very quickly.
Once golden brown and full of happiness, remove from oven.
Serve over angel hair pasta and garnish with parsley.
Buon appetito!
