Giada De Laurentiis Reimagines Shrimp Scampi With An Easier Baking Dish Method

Some of the best pasta dishes are the most simple. Cacio e pepe, spaghetti aglio e olio, shrimp scampi — the true essence of Italian cooking is letting the ingredients shine through. And perhaps one of the celebrity chefs who has best mastered this is Giada De Laurentiis. A native of Rome, De Laurentiis is known for her elevated, authentic take on Italian food. So when she suggests new ways to reimagine classic recipes, it's usually worth taking her advice. And her take on shrimp scampi makes life a lot easier.

De Laurentiis shared her recipe for roasted shrimp scampi on her website (Giadzy), where she describes how you can use a baking dish to cook many elements of the meal together, removing a frying pan from the process altogether. A classic shrimp scampi is usually prepared by sautéeing garlic, red pepper flakes, white wine, and shrimp in butter and olive oil. Tomatoes are often added as well, and it's all mixed together with lemon and parsley. It's pretty straightforward, but you do need to man the pan and make sure the garlic doesn't burn and the shrimp doesn't overcook.

De Laurentiis simplifies it all by nixing the frying pan altogether, instead roasting the tomatoes in a baking dish and then adding the garlic, red pepper flakes, wine, and shrimp right to the dish once the tomatoes are blistered. She then returns the pan to the oven until the shrimp is cooked, and tosses the spaghetti, lemon, and parsley right in to finish the dish.

"The oven does all the work. You don't have to stand over the stove stressing about overcooking shrimp. Just roast everything together, and the shrimp basically becomes its own sauce," De Laurentiis says in a video (via Facebook) showcasing the recipe. She uses canned tomatoes, but fresh roasted cherry tomatoes also have a lovely, deep flavor.

A true Roman, she also axes the butter and just uses olive oil, but others have broiled shrimp with butter to make scampi. Some people like to add a little Dijon mustard to roasted shrimp scampi for an extra kick, or shallots for more flavor. Breadcrumbs are always an option, too. But the best thing to do is follow De Laurentiis' guidance and keep it simple – she knows her pasta after all.