Pappardelle with Scampi: a heartwarming classic is one of the most popular and classic recipes we can prepare with this crustacean. On special occasions, with this seafood first course, we will make a great impression and win everyone over.
Hello everyone! Today I want to take you into my kitchen to prepare a dish that represents absolute elegance in its simplicity: pappardelle with scampi. It is one of those refined classics that, believe me, never disappoints.
Do you know that magical moment when the scent of the sea fills the kitchen and promises something unforgettable?
That’s exactly what happens when I start preparing this sauce.
For me, these pappardelle aren’t just a first course; they are a sensory experience that I want to share with those I love.
Imagine this egg pasta: wide, porous, and resilient, capable of clinging to a sauce 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 reduce patiently until it achieves that amber color that, as you see in the photo, warms the heart.
The roughness of the pappardelle welcomes the sauce just like a nest, ensuring an explosion of flavor in every single forkful.
I like to think that, with just a few high-quality ingredients, each of you can turn a simple Sunday lunch into a grand restaurant dinner.
Get cooking, and let me know if you, too, fell in love with this aroma!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
Pappardelle with Scampi
- 14 oz egg pappardelle (rough or your preferred pasta)
- 16 scampi (16-20 specimens (about 5 per person))
- 14 oz peeled tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
- 1 shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- Half glass dry white wine (to deglaze and release the scent of the sea)
- 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 let the chopped shallot and sliced garlic soften.
Add the parsley and the scampi heads, letting them cook for a few minutes.
Crush the heads well with a wooden spoon to release all the flavor and deglaze with white wine. Once the alcohol evaporates, lift the heads and remove them from the pan.
Now add the tomatoes cut into quarters (or the peeled ones), salt, and cook for about 5 minutes.
As soon as the sauce starts to turn golden and reduce, add the scampi (both shelled and whole ones left for decoration).
Cook on high heat for a couple more minutes.
The creamy touch (optional): If you want an even more velvety and delicate result, this is the moment to add the 2-3 tablespoons of cream.
Mix well to combine everything.
Drain the pappardelle al dente and toss them directly in the sauce.
The cooking water: Never drain the pasta until dry. Always keep a cup of cooking water aside. It’s rich in starch and, combined with the cream and sauce, it 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 by placing the whole scampi on top.
Enjoy your meal.
Tips and Curiosities
The roughness of the pappardelle welcomes this sauce like a nest. Whether it’s 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 with the shallot and garlic.
Its spicy note doesn’t cover the taste of the fish, but rather, enhances its freshness and makes every bite even more inviting.
The shallot is delicate. Let it soften over very low heat with a tablespoon of water or wine if you see it’s coloring too quickly. It should become transparent, almost creamy.
Pappardelle with scampi should be served very hot. A trick? Slightly warm the serving plates before plating, so the creaminess of the sauce doesn’t thicken too quickly.
For deglazing, use the same wine that you’ll drink at the table. A dry and salty white, like a Ligurian Vermentino or a Greco di Tufo, is ideal for accompanying this dish.
The ideal would be to use freshly caught scampi or from trawl. 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 sea and brine, never of ammonia.
If you can’t find them fresh, opt for high-quality frozen scampi, preferably those “frozen on board”. In this case, let them defrost slowly in the fridge before proceeding with the cleaning as described.
If possible, choose Mediterranean scampi (such as Sicilian or Adriatic): they have sweeter and firmer flesh compared to those from the northern seas, and they pair better with the shallot and cherry tomato stir-fry 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 shellfish give their best right away.
However, if something should remain, here’s how to proceed:
In the Refrigerator
Time: You can store the pappardelle in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
How to reheat them: 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 (Frequently Asked Questions)
Besides pappardelle, what pasta can I use
Linguine (The classic choice)
It is the most common and loved alternative. Their flat and thin shape is perfect for “sliding” between the scampi. Compared to spaghetti, linguine offers a larger surface for the sauce to cling to, especially if you 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 no time and create a delicious tangle that perfectly holds the sauce. It is 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 often the shelled scampi end up right inside the pacchero, providing a burst of flavor with every bite.
4. Scialatielli
If you want 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 hearty.
