Pappardelle with Scampi: a classic that warms the heart is one of the most popular and timeless recipes we can prepare with this crustacean. On special occasions with this seafood first course, we’ll make a great impression and win everyone over.
Good morning everyone! Today I want to invite you into my kitchen to prepare a dish that, to me, represents absolute elegance in its simplicity: pappardelle with scampi. It’s one of those refined classics that, trust me, never disappoints.
Do you know that magical moment when the scent of the sea fills the kitchen, promising something unforgettable?
Well, that’s exactly what happens when I start preparing this sauce.
To me, these pappardelle are not just a first course; they are a sensory experience I want to share with my loved ones.
Imagine this egg pasta: wide, porous, and tenacious, capable of “clinging” to a sauce that I’ve tried to make incredibly creamy and velvety. Every bite you taste is a perfect balance.
The noble sweetness of fresh scampi blends with my tomato base, which I let thicken patiently until it reaches that amber color that, as you can see in the photo, warms the heart.
The roughness of the pappardelle embraces the sauce just like a nest, ensuring an explosion of flavor in every single forkful.
I like to think that, with just a few top-quality ingredients, each of you can turn a simple Sunday lunch into a grand restaurant dinner.
Get to work, and let me know if you, too, have fallen in love with this aroma!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
Pappardelle with Scampi
- 14 oz egg pappardelle (rough or any pasta you prefer)
- 16 scampi (16-20 specimens (about 5 each))
- 14 oz peeled tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
- 1 shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- Half glass dry white wine (for deglazing and releasing the sea aroma)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- to taste pepper
- 2 tablespoons cooking cream (optional)
- squares parsley
Tools
- Pan
- Lid
- Colander
- Pot
Steps
Pappardelle with Scampi
Start by cleaning the scampi, separating the heads from the tails.
Remove the eyes from the heads and take off the shell and intestine from the tails with a cut under the abdomen.
Remember: leave some scampi whole (at least one per person) for the final decoration of the dish.
In a large pan, pour the oil and sauté the chopped shallot and sliced garlic.
Add the parsley and scampi heads, cooking them for a few minutes.
Press the heads well with a wooden spoon to release all the flavor, and deglaze with white wine. Once the alcohol has evaporated, lift the heads and remove them from the pan.
Now add the cherry tomatoes cut into quarters (or the peeled tomatoes), salt, and cook for about 5 minutes.
As soon as the sauce begins to turn golden and thickens, add the scampi (both shelled and whole left for decoration).
Cook over high heat for a couple more minutes.
The creamy touch (optional): If you want an even more velvety and delicate flavor, now is the time to add 2-3 tablespoons of cream.
Mix well to combine everything.
Drain the pappardelle al dente and toss them directly into the sauce.
Cooking water: Never drain the pasta completely dry. Always keep a cup of cooking water aside. It’s rich in starch and, combined with the cream and sauce, helps create that perfect emulsion that makes the dish shiny and inviting.
Toss them in the pan, adding more fresh parsley and a pinch of pepper to bind all the flavors.
Serve the pappardelle with the whole scampi on top.
Enjoy your meal.
Tips and Curiosities
The roughness of the pappardelle embraces this sauce like a nest. Whether for a Sunday lunch or a special dinner, with a few quality ingredients, you’ll make a great impression!
If you love bold flavors, I recommend adding a pinch of fresh or dried chili pepper along with the shallot and garlic.
Its spicy note doesn’t cover the taste of the fish but rather enhances the freshness, making every bite even more inviting.
Shallots are delicate. Let them soften over very low heat with a spoonful of water or wine if you see them coloring too quickly. They should become transparent, almost creamy.
Pappardelle with scampi should be served piping hot. A trick? Slightly warm the serving plates before plating, so the sauce’s creaminess doesn’t thicken too quickly.
For deglazing, use the same wine you’ll drink at the table. A dry, savory white, like a Ligurian Vermentino or a Greco di Tufo, is ideal to accompany this dish.
The ideal would be to use the freshest scampi or line-fished scampi. You can recognize them because:
They have a bright pink-orange color, without dark spots on the head.
The eye is black, shiny, and protruding.
The scent should be delicate, of the sea and brine, never ammonia.
If you can’t find fresh ones, opt for high-quality frozen scampi, preferably those “frozen on board.” In this case, let them thaw slowly in the fridge before proceeding with the cleaning as described.
If possible, choose Mediterranean scampi (such as Sicilian or Adriatic ones): they have sweeter and firmer flesh than those from northern seas, and they pair better with the shallot and cherry tomato sauce we’ve chosen.
Storage
When it comes to refined dishes like pappardelle with scampi, my advice is always to eat them immediately, just sautéed in the pan.
Egg pasta and the delicacy of the crustaceans are best enjoyed at the moment.
However, if there are leftovers, here’s how to handle them:
In Fridge
Time: You can store the pappardelle in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
How to reheat: Do not use the microwave as it would make the scampi rubbery and the pasta too soft.
It’s better to toss them again in the pan with a splash of water or a drizzle of oil to restore creaminess.
It’s better to toss them again in the pan with a splash of water or a drizzle of oil to restore creaminess.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Besides pappardelle, what pasta can I use
Linguine (The great classic)
It’s the most common and loved alternative. Their flat and thin shape is perfect for “sliding” among the scampi. Compared to spaghetti, linguine offers a larger surface for the sauce to cling to, especially if you’ve added cream to make it creamy.
2. Egg Tagliolini
If you want an even more delicate and refined dish, tagliolini are ideal. Being very thin, they cook in a flash and create a delightful tangle that perfectly holds the sauce. It’s the perfect choice for a very elegant dinner.
3. Paccheri (For a gourmet touch)
If you prefer short pasta, paccheri (preferably bronze-drawn) are fantastic. Their peculiarity is that shelled scampi often end up right inside the pacchero, delivering an explosion of flavor with every bite.
4. Scialatielli
To give a more Mediterranean and artisanal touch, scialatielli (typical of the coast) are perfect. Being a thicker and more porous pasta, they absorb the sauce magnificently, making the dish very substantial.
