Tagliatelle with Scampis

This weekend, I decided to to the main dish. And I will be honest with you. I did this recipe before, and the kids didn't like it so much because when I add the coconut cream, it was a little bit sweet, and the children don't like so much to mix salt with sweet. 

When I asked my son what was wrong with the recipe I could improve for the next time, he said he loved the scampis, but he didn't like the sauce in the pasta. So, this time, I made it with coconut unsweetened, and after, it was a success. 

Tagliatelle with Scampi's, also known as Tagliatelle with Shrimp Sauce, is a dish that can be prepared and served in various ways. There is the traditional method for cooking tagliatelle in a pasta pot where the sauce is added to the water before cooking. This recipe shows an alternate method for preparing sauce in which Scampi (small shrimp) are cooked first then tossed together with the pasta.



The Secret is in the Sauce

Only these three words are needed to describe the vast majority of culinary creations and how a recipe is formulated. From marinara sauce to meatloaf, many ingredients go into the mix to create a delicious meal. And while all flavors will vary from dish to dish, there are many principles that any chef worth their salt will use time and time again when cooking with or creating new recipes.



Scampi and pasta: a delicious match

Scampi and pasta are the perfect matches. They're both flavorful, enjoyable to eat, and easy to prepare. They also seem like they would be a natural pairing, thanks to their similar shapes. But it turns out that this great pairing isn't just based on appearance; actually, Scampi is much more versatile than its pasta counterpart.

The reason why Scampi works so well with pasta and not real shrimp is simple. A bunch of Scampi has more meat than the shrimp that we're used to thinking about. I'm not just talking about the delicious pieces in the middle of a shrimp claw; I mean all along the tail itself—in between every vein of flesh and prawn shell.

If you haven't tried this kind of Scampi yet, you really should consider it as part of your next meal. It tastes delicious in spaghetti or linguine: perfectly paired with a sauce made with both butter and olive oil.



The benefits of Coconut cream

Coconut cream is a thick, rich, white cream produced by squeezing a mature coconut's meat. It is traditionally used in Indian cuisine and Malay cooking. Coconut cream appears as a stable solid even when refrigerated and has an intense coconut flavor.

Some people use it to top ice cream or to make mousse-style dishes. In addition, it is often used in South Asian desserts, curries, south Indian breakfast pancakes, rice pudding, and other dishes.

Coconut cream can be made from fresh coconuts but also from defatted dried coconut milk. Here in the house, we are addict to it!

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Let's jump to the recipe

In a large pot of water, bring the water to a boil for the tagliatelle. Put olive oil in the water and cook according to package directions for al dente pasta. Put salt when it is boiling.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add Scampi and garlic. The Scampi is already involved with lemon juice. Sauté until Scampi are pink, and garlic is light brown, about 5/7 minutes. Remove from heat, drain if you see they are with excess oil and set aside.

It's time to do the sauce. Add olive oil, add onion, and garlic. Mix them well. After, put the tomato mousse (I crushed the fresh tomato) and stir well again. Add the paprika and ginger. Mix well.

It's the moment to put the coconut cream and involve everything very well. After, arrive the moment to add the parmesan. Stir well again.

Add salt if you prefer. Let it be cooked for 2/3m in medium heat to stay consistent, and after, put basil.

It's the moment to involve tagliatelle in the sauce. Mix very well until the pasta is already embraced with sauce. 

I choose to put on top of the tagliatelle the Scampi when the pasta is already on the plate, but you can choose to involve Scampi with the sauce and tagliatelle. It's up to you!



And it's done! So delicious!

If you try to make this recipe, just leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

Lots of love



Ingredients:

  • 450 grs of Scampis

  • 1 lemon (juice)

  • 3 cloves of garlic (just for the scampi)

  • olive oil

  • tagliatelle

  • 1 medium onion

  • 2 cloves of garlic (for the sauce)

  • 1 tomato

  • 1 teaspoon of paprika

  • 1 teaspoon of ginger

  • 165 ml of Coconut cream

  • 2 tbs of parmesan

  • basil

CookingPetra BarrosTagliatelle, tagliatelle with scampi, healthy recipe with pastaComment