Chef notes
We love shrimp. Full stop. And this scampi is ridiculously simple and out-of-control delicious — definitely a special treat. Lemony sunshine, glorious shrimp and garlic buttah. Treat yourself!
Technique tip: Sprinkle the shrimp with baking soda for extra color.
Swap option: Use linguine instead of bucatini. For a nonalcoholic version, substitute 2/3 cup of water plus 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar for the white wine.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bucatini
- 1 pound (U16) tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left on
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 lemon, juiced, plus additional wedges for serving
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preparation
1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2.Cook the bucatini in the boiling water, according to the package directions, 1 to 2 minutes short of al dente.
3.Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
4.Season the shrimp generously with salt and pepper.
5.Sprinkle the baking soda over the shrimp and toss to coat; let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
6.Meanwhile, in a large, high-sided skillet, warm the oil over medium heat.
7.Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until slightly translucent and sticky, about 1 minute, then, using a perforated spoon, transfer the garlic to a bowl; set aside.
8.Increase the heat to medium-high, and place the shrimp into the skillet, in a single layer, and cook, gently shaking the pan occasionally, just until the shrimp begin to change color and have some golden spots on the underside, about 1½ minutes.
9.Carefully flip the shrimp, keeping the tails intact, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and cook an additional 1 to 1½ minutes, until the shrimp is almost fully cooked through.
10.Transfer the shrimp to a plate or sheet pan; set aside.
11.Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits.
12.Add the remaining butter, cooked garlic and red pepper flakes, and swirl to melt.
13.Add the lemon juice, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until reduced by about 1/3, about 3 minutes.
14.Taste for seasoning, adding additional salt or lemon juice, as needed.
15.Add the pasta, shrimp along with any juices and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water and cook, tossing with tongs and adding more cooking water, as needed, until the pasta is al dente, the shrimp is cooked through and the sauce is velvety.
16.Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste; serve immediately.
