This delicious Italian Scampi pasta recipe is made with langoustines (also known as Norway lobster) and it’s very different from what most of us may think of as “shrimp scampi pasta”. It’s definitely worth trying to get your hands on some of these lobster-family scampi, but you can also substitute head-on prawns or Argentinian Red Shrimp which also taste great. We use the entire scampi (shells, pincers, and all) in this recipe to extract as much of their delicious flavor as possible because these parts are the secret to getting the most fresh-from-the-sea flavor packed into this otherwise simple dish. Anyone who cooks with shellfish knows these parts are culinary gold and to be used to their fullest potential. For anyone new to “mezze maniche” pasta (pronounced, metz-a mon-ih-kay), or new to cooking pasta, keep on reading to learn more, plus we’ve included step-by-step recipe photos at the end of the post.
What is Mezze Maniche Pasta and Where Does it Come From?
If you’re a fan of seafood pasta, this is a delicious way to use “mezze maniche” a well-known pasta shape that Italy loves. Mezze Maniche (pronounced, metz-a mon-ih-kay), is thought to have originated in Northern Italy but is now mostly grown in the south and enjoyed throughout Italy. When translated it means, “half sleeves” (“mezze” meaning half and “maniche” meaning sleeves). In the States, you may hear it called “short sleeves pasta”. It’s a shorter version of a “rigatoni rigate” which is rigatoni pasta with grooves on the outside that allow the pasta to hold onto and soak up more sauce.
And maybe because of its summery name, this “short sleeves” pasta is considered by most Italians, a pasta best enjoyed in the summer months and it’s often cooked with abundant fresh seafood (as in this recipe). That said, you can use it with lots of different sauces any time of year. We’ve used whole wheat mezze maniche here for its nutritional benefits, but the regular semolina bronze-drawn and slow-dried pasta is excellent. If you can’t find this pasta where you live, substitute paccheri (pronounced “pahk-a-ree” and one of my all-time favorite pasta shapes to eat with seafood), spaghetti, linguine, or even rigatoni.
The Difference Between Scampi (Langoustine), Prawns, and Regular Shrimp
The difference between scampi (langoustine) and shrimp or prawns is that the scampi are tiny lobster-like crustaceans with orange or pink shells and even have cute baby claws. Scampi is often called Norway Lobster and the tail meat is eaten while the heads, pincers, and shells are typically used to enhance the flavor of the sauce and/or to make seafood stock. Scampi actually belong to the lobster family whereas prawns belong to the shrimp family (see photos above to compare). Prawns and shrimp have more meat than scampi and can complement scampi recipes, especially when added to pasta dishes. Check out our classic Shrimp Scampi recipe for more photos and comparisons between these shellfish.
How to Make the Best Shrimp Scampi Sauce — Using all Parts of the Scampi (shells and all)
At each stage of cooking, every part of the Scampi Langoustine is used to infuse flavor into this pasta and its sauce — first, we use frozen shrimp shells and heads (saved from previous shrimp dinners) to make a homemade shrimp stock that the pasta is cooked in. We then use this stock to help build the sauce and enhance its overall flavor. Sautéed scampi heads and shells directly in a sizzling garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil further extract all of those tasty small bits of meat and scampi juice before finally discarding them. A little sliced scallion, a few finely diced sweet Datterino grape tomatoes, a splash of Marsala wine (any dry white wine will do), and a simple reduction of the sauce further concentrate the flavors before finally sautéeing the scampi tail meat and finishing the pasta. And yes, we did top off each bowl with cornmeal-crusted fried calamari (which is optional of course).
Langoustine Scampi w/Short Sleeves Rigatoni Pasta Ingredients
This langoustine (scampi) pasta dish is delicious, but if you can’t find this type of seafood where you live, substitute them with the best sweet and tender shrimp (or lobster) available. And feel free to use linguini, spaghetti, paccheri, or regular rigatoni noodles if you can’t find the mezze maniche pasta because this sauce pairs well with them all. Be sure to check out the tips below for how to choose good quality seafood even if your best options come from the freezer aisle). You may notice that I added fresh squid to this pasta, but it added nothing overwhelmingly delicious to the flavor or texture of this pasta, so my advice is to skip it. That said, we loved the fried calamari garnish, so add it if you want.
- 6 ounces of mezze maniche pasta (or rigatoni, linguini, or spaghetti) (170g)
- 10 scampi langoustine (head-on), tail meat detached and deveined (or favorite shrimp heads-on) (300-500g)
- 1 quart homemade shrimp stock (or storebought), divided (1L) *see note below
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (55g)
- 3 medium to large garlic cloves, smashed (10g)
- 1 medium or large scallion, finely diced
- 3 sweet grape tomatoes, finely diced (45g)
- sea salt to taste
*1/2 cup of stock will be added directly to the sauce as you begin to build it and another 1/2 cup or so gets added in the middle of cooking to help maintain and build the sauce. While the remaining stock will be used for boiling the pasta so that the noodles can absorb the flavor of the stock as it cooks. And lastly, towards the end of cooking time (as with most all pasta recipes), you’ll add some of the now starchy pasta cooking stock (about 1/2 cup or more) directly into the sauce and whisk to emulsify and slightly reduce it just before straining and adding the noodles. Adding the starchy cooking liquid to the sauce towards the end of cooking time does two important things — it allows the starches to emulsify with the sauce to create a silkier sauce and better mouthfeel and also allows the sauce to better coat the noodles. So, I use about 2 cups of total stock in the sauce itself. You may use more or less depending on the type of pasta you’re using and how thick or thin your desired sauce consistency is.
How to Make Norway Lobster Shrimp Scampi Pasta
If you plan ahead and make your own shrimp stock for this recipe, you’ll be able to taste it in the finished pasta. That said if you’re too busy or just don’t want to bother with it, go ahead and buy a good seafood stock from your local fishmonger or grocery store (Kitchen Basics is a good brand). Once the stock is ready and the scampi tails have been cleaned and deveined, this is a simple and fairly quick pasta to make.
- Clean the shrimp. Remove the heads and shells from the scampi (or shrimp if using), and devein the tail meat. Add the meat to a small bowl placed over ice (to keep them cold while you prepare the garlic-infused olive oil.
- Infuse the olive oil + cook the scampi heads and shells. Add the olive oil and garlic to a cold cast-iron or another heavy-gauge skillet and increase heat to medium. Sauté the garlic until just perfectly golden brown and fragrant (about 4 to 5 minutes) and add the scampi heads, pincers, and shells and sauté until opaque and cooked through (about 5 to 7 minutes). Using a pair of tongs, squeeze the heads and shells directly over the skillet to release any bits of scampi meat and juices discarding the shells. Repeat until all meat and juice have been extracted. Remove any small scampi whiskers or shells that may be left in the skillet.
- Heat the shrimp stock. Add the shrimp stock to a saucepot, season with salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow it to simmer while you sauté the vegetables.
- Sauté the scallions + tomatoes and deglaze the pan with Marsala. Add the diced scallions and tomatoes and sauté over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes and add the Marsala wine (or other white wine if using). Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking while whisking the mixture periodically for about 5 to 8 more minutes, or until it becomes glossy in appearance and slightly reduced.
- Add the shrimp stock. Add about 1/2 cup of hot shrimp stock to the sauce mixture and increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk periodically while continuing to cook for about 8 minutes, or until the mixture has slightly reduced.
- Cook the pasta. Bring the stock to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente doneness according to the package directions.
- Sear the scampi. About 5 minutes into the pasta cooking time, add a couple of ladles full of stock (about 1/4 cup) to the sauce in the skillet and cook over medium heat until slightly reduced (about 5 minutes). Add the scampi tail meat (and any whole scampi you may be using for garnish). and sauté for 1 minute. Add another ladle full of starchy stock directly to the sauce and cook for about 2 minutes more, or until scampi are cooked through and opaque. Turn off the heat. At this point the sauce should be a silky consistency. If you feel it needs to be looser, add a bit more stock and stir. If the sauce seems too “wet” or watery, remove the scampi meat to a small plate, turn the heat up to high and reduce the sauce to the desired consistency. Place the scampi meat back into the sauce before adding the pasta.
- Strain the pasta + assemble the dish. Strain the pasta and immediately add it to the sauce and toss to combine everything well. Feel free to drizzle it with a little more EVOO if desired and serve immediately, and Enjoy!
Great Seafood Pasta Starts with High-Quality Ingredients + a Few Easy Techniques
Around here we love any kind of seafood and fortunately, we have a wide variety of it available near us. But if you don’t live in an area with access to fresh seafood ocean, you can always seek out the best frozen options. Here are a few of our favorite tips to consider when making this pasta dish.
Use the best quality scampi or shrimp you can find (even if they’re frozen). For this recipe, I love to use scampi or prawns with heads and shells still on because we make a quick scampi stock and we also extract as much of the meat and juices from the heads and shells before we cook the meat. You may substitute store-bought stock if you like.
Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Try to find the best pure Italian or Spanish Arbequina extra virgin olive oil that you can. Even Trader Joe’s has inexpensive options for good EVOO.
Never rinse cooked pasta noodles. If you rinse pasta noodles after cooking, you’re rinsing off valuable starches that allow the sauce to adhere to the noodle the way it was intended (and also any chance of executing a truly silky pasta sauce). These starches are what provide that well-rounded mouthfeel we all associate with a comforting bowl of delicious pasta. (more about this point below).
Do not cook the pasta ahead of time and let it sit in a strainer. Every second that the cooked pasta is sitting there, the starches that are 100% necessary for producing a great bowl of pasta, are evaporating along with your chances of making your best pasta. Instead, time this dish as best as you can so that the sauce is done just a couple (or a few) minutes before the noodles. You can always turn the heat back on at the very end to quickly reheat the sauce before adding the noodles if you need.
Always add 1/4 to 1/2 cup starchy pasta cooking water to the final sauce. This is an authentic and well-known Italian technique that produces the silkiest and smoothest pasta sauces and ragùs (and also the reason you should never over-salt your pasta cooking water). In this recipe we substitute regular pasta cooking water with our shrimp stock to boil the pasta noodles and the same concept applies. The starch from this liquid that the pasta cooks in serves two major purposes in making high-quality pasta dishes:
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- Starches help emulsify the sauce which creates that perfect mouthfeel that we love so much about pasta in Italy and at our favorite hometown restaurants.
- Starches help the sauce fully coat the noodles and stick to them in a way they wouldn’t be able to otherwise.
How to Buy the Best, Freshest Shrimp?
The tender sweet scampi in this recipe should be cooked delicately in order to avoid overcooking it. It’s essential to cook shrimp just until it’s opaque and turns reddish-orange or pink (about 2 to 3 minutes in this case depending on the size and type of scampi or shrimp you may be using. Also, the quality of shrimp matters. Sometimes frozen shrimp is your best option and that’s ok. If the “fresh” shrimp looks or smells old, opt for frozen instead. Off or old shrimp will have an ammonia smell (similar to the smell of cat urine) and it can look “shredded” or leathery. Old shrimp also has a mushy unpleasant texture. Follow these general guidelines to avoid buying old or outdated shrimp.
- Buy shrimp from a reputable source like a local fishmonger, or mom and pop seafood shop.
- Buy fresh (never frozen) shrimp when available and always ask the employee which shrimp is the freshest and how old it is.
- Check all the dates of frozen or fresh shrimp and don’t buy shrimp with very old dates or you risk getting an inferior product that may even be inedible.
- Smell the shrimp if they’ll let you and if it smells clean and fresh that’s a good sign, but if it smells like ammonia take a pass and buy something else.
- Check the texture and do not buy shrimp that looks leathery or “shreddy” which indicates it’s been frozen too long, stored improperly, or just old.
What to Serve with Mezze Maniche Shrimp Scampi Pasta
If you’re looking for other dishes or desserts to serve with your shrimp pasta dinner, here are a few of our favorite starters, sides, and sweet endings to make this a dinner everyone will enjoy.
- Mozzarella-Parmesan Butter garlic toast
- Diver Scallops au Gratin (Capesante Gratinate)
- Delicious Shrimp Scampi for Two (or a Crowd)
- Easy + Delicious Shrimp Au Gratin (Gamberi Gratinati)
- Summer Starburst Vinaigrette with salad greens
- White Chocolate Creme Brûlée Cheesecake w/Biscoff Cookie Crust
Let’s get started!
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Langoustine Scampi w/Short Sleeves Rigatoni Pasta (Mezze Maniche agli Scampi)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
This Italian Shrimp Scampi pasta recipe is made with langoustines (also known as the Norway lobster) and it’s very different from what most of us think of as “shrimp scampi pasta”. It’s definitely worth trying to get your hands on some of these baby lobsters, but you can also substitute head-on prawns or Argentinian Red Shrimp which also taste great. We use the entire scampi (shells, pincers, and all) in this recipe because they’re the secret to getting the most fresh-from-the-sea flavor packed into this dish. Feel free to substitute homemade shrimp stock with storebought to save time a little time.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces of mezze maniche pasta (or rigatoni, linguini, or spaghetti) (170g)
- 10 scampi langoustine (head-on), tail meat detached and deveined (or Argentinian Red shrimp heads-on) (300-500g)
- 1 quart homemade shrimp stock (or storebought), divided (1L) *see notes below
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (55g)
- 3 medium to large garlic cloves, smashed (10g)
- 1 medium or large scallion, finely diced
- 3 sweet grape tomatoes, finely diced (45g)
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Clean the shrimp. Remove the heads and shells from the scampi (or shrimp if using), and devein the tail meat. Add the meat to a small bowl placed over ice (to keep them cold while you prepare the garlic-infused olive oil.
- Infuse the olive oil + cook the scampi heads and shells. Add the olive oil and garlic to a cold cast-iron or another heavy-gauge skillet and increase heat to medium. Sauté the garlic until just perfectly golden brown and fragrant (about 4 to 5 minutes) and add the scampi heads, pincers, and shells and sauté until opaque and cooked through (about 5 to 7 minutes). Using a pair of tongs, squeeze the heads and shells directly over the skillet to release any bits of scampi meat and juices discarding the shells. Repeat until all meat and juice have been extracted. Remove any small scampi whiskers or shells that may be left in the skillet.
- Heat the shrimp stock. Add the shrimp stock to a saucepot, season with salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow it to simmer while you sauté the vegetables.
- Sauté the scallions + tomatoes and deglaze the pan with Marsala. Add the diced scallions and tomatoes and sauté over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes and add the Marsala wine (or other white wine if using). Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking while whisking the mixture periodically for about 5 to 8 more minutes, or until it becomes glossy in appearance and slightly reduced.
- Add the shrimp stock. Add about 1/2 cup of hot shrimp stock to the sauce mixture and increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk periodically while continuing to cook for about 8 minutes, or until the mixture has slightly reduced.
- Cook the pasta. Bring the stock to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente doneness according to the package directions.
- Sear the scampi. About 5 minutes into the pasta cooking time, add a couple of ladles full of stock (about 1/4 cup) to the sauce in the skillet and cook over medium heat until slightly reduced (about 5 minutes). Add the scampi tail meat (and any whole scampi you may be using for garnish). and sauté for 1 minute. Add another ladle full of starchy stock directly to the sauce and cook for about 2 minutes more, or until scampi are cooked through and opaque. Turn off the heat. At this point the sauce should be a silky consistency. If you feel it needs to be looser, add a bit more stock and stir. If the sauce seems too “wet” or watery, remove the scampi meat to a small plate, turn the heat up to high and reduce the sauce to the desired consistency. Place the scampi meat back into the sauce before adding the pasta.
- Strain the pasta + assemble the dish. Strain the pasta and immediately add it to the sauce and toss to combine everything well. Feel free to drizzle it with a little more EVOO if desired and serve immediately, and Enjoy!
Notes
- If you plan ahead and make your own shrimp stock for this recipe, you’ll be able to taste it in the finished pasta. That said if you’re too busy or just don’t want to bother with it, go ahead and buy a good seafood stock from your local fishmonger or grocery store (Kitchen Basics is a good brand). Once the stock is ready and the scampi tails have been cleaned and deveined, this is a simple and fairly quick pasta to make.
- How much stock you’ll use will vary slightly. But as a good guideline, here’s precisely what I used in this recipe.
- 1/2 cup of stock will be added directly to the sauce as you begin to build it and another 1/2 cup or so gets added in the middle of cooking to help maintain and build the sauce. While the remaining stock will be used for boiling the pasta so that the noodles can absorb the flavor of the stock as it cooks. And lastly, towards the end of cooking time (as with most all pasta recipes), you’ll add some of the now starchy pasta cooking stock (about 1/2 cup or more) directly into the sauce and whisk to emulsify and slightly reduce it just before straining and adding the noodles. Adding the starchy cooking liquid to the sauce towards the end of cooking time does two important things — it allows the starches to emulsify with the sauce to create a silkier sauce and better mouthfeel and also allows the sauce to better coat the noodles. So, I use about 2 cups of total stock in the sauce itself. You may use more or less depending on the type of pasta you’re using and how thick or thin your desired sauce consistency is.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Langoustine Scampi Shrimp Pasta step-by-step recipe photos
