I’m not sure why Shrimp Scampi needs a national day to celebrate it (other than it tastes good, of course!) but apparently it does & today is the day!  Who knew?!

Scampi comes from the Italian word “scampo”, which is a small European lobster. In the USA, scampi refers to a protein (usually shrimp or chicken) served in a garlic-butter-white wine sauce. In Italian-American restaurants, scampi is typically served with bread or over pasta or rice. It’s a classic, tasty dish, that also happens to be quick & easy to prepare. So maybe that’s why it gets its own national day!

Even though I am half Italian, I am not a huge pasta fan. But I am a huge pizza fan and Fridays are pizza nights at our house. Given all of the above, it is Shrimp Scampi Pizza for dinner tonight!

Shrimp Scampi Pizza (adapted from cookingwithcurls.com)

Serves 4   Total time required:  30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 large cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 pound large, raw shrimp, rinsed, peeled & deveined
• 1 pound pizza dough
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• red pepper flakes for garnish

Directions:

Place the baking stone in oven and preheat it to 475ºF.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest, cooking them for one minute. Add the wine and the lemon juice, simmering them for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and cook only until they are pink.

Remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside.

Roll out the pizza dough. Place the dough on a cornmeal lined pizza peel. Brush the dough with the garlic-lemon sauce from the pan.

Top the dough with the mozzarella cheese, shrimp, and Parmesan cheese, then sprinkle on the seasonings.

Slide the pizza onto the preheated baking stone and bake it for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.

Allow the pizza to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve the slices with red pepper flakes, if desired.

With Sinatra crooning in the background, it is a classic Italian evening! ~Linda

Shrimp Scampi Pizza (adapted from cookingwithcurls.com)

Serves 4   Total time required:  30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 large cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 pound large, raw shrimp, rinsed, peeled & deveined
• 1 pound pizza dough
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• red pepper flakes for garnish

Directions:

Place the baking stone in oven and preheat it to 475ºF.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest, cooking them for one minute. Add the wine and the lemon juice, simmering them for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and cook only until they are pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside.

Roll out the pizza dough. Place the dough on a cornmeal lined pizza peel. Brush the dough with the garlic-lemon sauce from the pan. Top the dough with the mozzarella cheese, shrimp, and Parmesan cheese, then sprinkle on the seasonings.

Slide the pizza onto the preheated baking stone and bake it for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. Allow the pizza to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve the slices with red pepper flakes, if desired.