Gamberoni Alla Scampi Recipe

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tbsp salt. Add the house-made spaghetti and cook until just al dente (usually 2–3 minutes for fresh spaghetti; follow package for dried). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Toss drained pasta with 1 tsp olive oil to prevent sticking and set aside.

Prepare shrimp

Pat the tiger shrimp dry with paper towels and season lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper.

Sear shrimp

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. When the butter foams, add the shrimp in a single layer (work in two batches if necessary). Sear each side about 1–1½ minutes until pink and just cooked through. Remove shrimp to a plate and set aside; keep any browned bits in the pan.

Sweat aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter to the pan. Add the minced shallot and cook 1 minute until translucent. Add the sliced/minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add 1 tsp red pepper flakes and cook briefly to bloom the spice.

Deglaze

Pour in 1 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until the wine reduces by about half, roughly 3–4 minutes.

Build sauce

Add 1 cup stock, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest to the reduced wine. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce for 3–4 minutes until the sauce begins to slightly thicken. Taste and add remaining 1/2 tsp salt and adjust pepper as needed.

Add tomatoes and shrimp

Stir in the halved cherry tomatoes and cook 1–2 minutes until they begin to soften. Return the seared shrimp to the pan to warm through and finish cooking in the sauce, about 1 minute. Add the majority of the chiffonade basil (reserve some for garnish).

Combine pasta and sauce: Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the shrimp and sauce. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta cooking water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to loosen and create a silky emulsion (use about 1/4–1/2 cup as needed). Stir in 1/2 cup of the grated Pecorino Romano and mix until the cheese melts into the sauce.

Adjust seasoning & finish: Taste for seasoning and add more salt, lemon juice, or pepper if needed. Turn off the heat and stir in the final 1 tsp olive oil for shine and 1 tbsp butter if desired for extra gloss.

Plate & garnish: Divide the pasta among 4 warmed plates. Spoon additional sauce and shrimp on top. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano over each portion, finish with reserved basil leaves, and a light crack of black pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side if desired.