Scampetti Con Polenta: or Venetian Shrimp And Grits Recipe

Not to have a beef with Italian cuisine or anything. I mean, I think it’s great and is one of the best cuisines worldwide. However, I do have a bone to pick with scampetti con polenta or Venetian Shrimp and Grits.

I recently went to Venice for the first time with high expectations for the food, seafood to be precise. But I must say, it was not what I was expecting. Maybe we were there at an off time of season or something, but the seafood stunk more than it should have.

In particular, I was excited to try scampetti con polenta or something akin to a Venetian style shrimp and grits. Much to my dismay, the shrimp were tiny and looked like worms and the taste was not that much better. I was expecting the shrimp to be small, but not this small nor this gross. My high hopes were shattered by worm shrimp.

But don’t you worry, I know how to make this better and right the wrong that Venice has bestowed upon me. For my version, I am using regular sized shrimp which I peel and devein. Ground breaking! Next, I am giving this sauce an upgrade to include white wine, butter, garlic, red chilis, and of course parmesan cheese. Venice, please take notes on the recipe below.

I must say, other than the food, Venice is a super interesting place and well worth a visit. You have been warned about the scampetti con polenta! But, please enjoy my version of venetian shrimp and grits.

Serves 4

Suggested Wine Pairing:

I would suggest a Venetian pinot grigio. Use it to cook and use it to drink!

Ingredients:

1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons of butter

3/4 cup of white wine

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Thai red chilis, minced or 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes

1/4 cup of parsley, chopped

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, shredded

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup of polenta or grits (don’t tell but I used couscous because I could not find polenta or grits. It still worked!)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. The shrimp part of this recipe comes together super fast so, begin by getting your polenta started. Cook as according to the package instructions.
2. Next, in a large frying pan melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the garlic and chilis and saute for about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and salt and pepper and cook for another minute or two just so that the shrimp begin to turn pink. Then, add the white wine and lemon juice and simmer for another 5 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through. Add in the parsley and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, add the parmesan cheese at the end of cooking the polenta and stir to combine. To serve, add the polenta to a bowl and top with the shrimp and a generous portion of the sauce. Enjoy and know that this is not authentic but it is a quick and delicious dinner. If you go to Venice and order the scampetti con polenta, you have been warned!

If you like this recipe, be sure to try my shrimp scampi for a delicious pasta dish!