White Wine Shrimp Scampi Pasta

I miss light summery dishes that don’t make me sleepy afterwards. So what better way to celebrate this warm weather than with one of my favourite simple recipes? Don’t want something that takes too long to cook? This is the easiest and fastest way to make a shrimp scampi!

Can you believe the temperature was TWO digits today? The weather was so beautiful I went out for a run in the morning around the neighborhood and discovered snow melting and wet paw prints on the sidewalk. Mud, yucky slush, buried poop – yes, Spring is coming soon!

Inspired by this recipe, my version of the shrimp scampi pasta involves a lot more garlic and is perfectly suited for garlic lovers. Afraid of getting smelly breath? Chew on some leftover parsley afterwards – it totally works! Also, save yourself some time by buying pre-peeled and deveined shrimps, along with a good dry white wine. I used Jackson-Triggs Pinot Grigio and the sauce was perfectly piquant.

TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes. SERVINGS: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 pound of large shrimps (1 entire bag, 450+grams); peeled and deveined
• 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced. Set 1 minced clove of garlic aside
• 1 teaspoon of finely crushed chili flakes
• 1/2 cup of chicken stock (organic if you prefer)
• 1/3 cup of dry white wine
• Juice of 1 whole lemon (keep the pulp for extra tang)
• 2-3 servings of pasta (the thinner the better), cooked
• Kosher/Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (which is about 5-6 twists of your grinder in total)
• 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan
• a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large pot, add some salt and bring water to boil. Water should cover at least 60% of the pasta. Spread the pasta out in a fan form. This sauce works best with thinner and lighter pastas like spaghetti and angel hair. Follow instructions on the pasta box for optimum cook time. Remember to stir so the pasta does not stick to the bottom. Tip: if you do not have a pasta measurer, make the “OK” sign with your hand. Once you have done that, move your thumb so that it covers the first joint of your index finger. There you have it – your free hand measurer for 1 serving of pasta! 
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 5 cloves of minced garlic and chili flakes once the butter has melted. Wait about 30 seconds until you smell the chili, then add shrimp. If your shrimp is raw, cook, stirr occasionally until it’s pink, about 2-3 minutes. If your shrimp is pre-cooked, mix well with garlic and chili for 1-2 minutes. Take the shrimp out of the pan when done.
3. Stir in chicken stock, white wine, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer until wine reduces, about 3-4 minutes.
4. When the pasta is ready, drain and add the rest of the minced garlic (1 clove) with olive oil. Mixed well with tongs.
5. Stir in the shrimp and the pasta to the skillet until well combined, and every single noodle has been luxuriously coated in the sauce. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Garnish with parsley, Parmesan, and a twist of freshly ground black pepper.

Want a vegetarian option? Simply take out the shrimp! The sauce is exquisite and delightful either way.

Try out the recipe and let me know what you think! You can also check out my other recipe for a fail-safe beef stew! Bon appétit!

Until next time!