When it comes to authentic Italian cuisine, every dish has a long and storied history. After all, many of these recipes date back several decades! You wouldn’t expect the same thing from seafood; after all, people have been eating fish as long as humans have existed! But, did you know that there are several seafood dishes out there that have rich Italian origins? A great example of seafood dishes that break the tradition is shrimp scampi. While it may be a seafood dish, it has strong Italian roots. We break down all the most interesting facts about this dish below!
Origins
Believe it or not, shrimp scampi is actually a variation of a different Italian dish! The original dish, as you might have guessed, is simply referred to as “scampi”. Scampi is named after a kind of shellfish that is normally found in Italy. These crustaceans are MUCH bigger than the shrimp that we know!
The shrimp scampi dish first appeared around the 1920s and gained popularity in the United States and abroad after World War II. It migrated from Italy to the US over that period, and since the traditional scampi can’t be found there, shrimp was used as a substitute. It was a rousing success, and the dish rose to popularity shortly after.
Variations
Did you know that the scampi dish has more variations than just shrimp? In fact, there are several different versions of the recipe all over the world! Some recipes have swapped the shrimp for different seafood items like crayfish, scallops and lobsters. Other recipes even take the seafood out and replace it with chicken! There are three main variations of shrimp scampi that are served across the world: the United States version, the United Kingdom version and the traditional Italian version. Both the US and Italian variants use shrimp as the focal point of the dish, while the UK replaces it with deep fried lobster.
Shrimp Scampi at Bricco
Bricco is the premiere destination in Boston’s North End for the best authentic Italian cuisine you can find! We serve the United States version of the shrimp scampi dish in addition to a variety of other delicious options. Each dish can be perfectly paired with our extensive selection of wine and cocktails, and you can top it all off with a rich dessert! For the best authentic Italian experience you can find, make a reservation with us today.