The first time I had this dish was at my favorite restaurant, California Pizza Kitchen. Aside from their delicious pizzas, their pastas are also delicious! This one in particular! Unfortunately, it's not on their menu all year. But, that's okay because it's super easy to make at home.
Its bright, lemony, garlicky and slightly spicy. Definitely a lighter take on pasta. All it takes are simple ingredients: white wine, garlic, and lemons, Add pasta and zucchini and voila!
Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Ribbons
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 pound raw shrimp, deveined
Half pound linguine (8 oz)
3 zucchini, cut into ribbons (I used a peeler)
1 cup white wine
3 tbsp butter
4 garlic, minced
1 lemon zested
1 lemon, juiced (2 tbsp)
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper
parsley, chopped for garnish
Directions
Peel the zucchini all around, until you get to the center. Set aside *Note: Leave the center seeds out, it adds excess moisture that you don't want.
Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt the water, and add the linguine. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, until al dente.
Preheat a large wide skillet to medium heat and drizzle olive oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and place half the shrimp in the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Repeat with the other batch. Set aside on a plate.
Keep the heat on medium, add the garlic and saute for a minute, until fragrant. Add the white wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, simmer for about 6-8 minutes. Add the butter and stir so the sauce can come together.
Once the pasta is al dente, add the pasta and the shrimp to the sauce.Toss the pasta in the sauce so it’s all coated. **Add some leftover pasta water to thin out the pasta, if desired. Taste for salt and pepper. Add a pinch, if needed. Sprinkle parsley and garnish with a lemon wedge.
Note: If using the entire package (1 pound/ 16 oz) of linguine, add an extra zucchini, garlic, a tbsp more of lemon juice, butter, and ¼ cup more white wine.
