Cacio, Pepe e Scampi

Method

1. Clean the scampi: cut the shells with scissors, open them, extract the flesh, and remove the intestine. Reserve the shells.
2. In a pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil with a crushed garlic clove and the reserved scampi shells. Sauté to infuse the oil, then remove the garlic and shells.
3. Prepare the sauce: in a blender, combine abundant grated Pecorino Romano, a bit of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, a spoonful of pasta cooking water, a drizzle of olive oil, and abundant black pepper. Blend until smooth and slightly liquid. Set aside.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tonnarelli pasta al dente.
5. Cut the scampi flesh into bite-sized pieces.
6. In the same pan (without garlic and shells), add a little pasta cooking water, the blended sauce, the drained pasta, and the scampi pieces. Toss over high heat, adding more pasta water if needed, until the sauce coats the pasta and the scampi are just cooked.
7. Plate: using a ladle and tongs, create a nest of pasta on the plate. Arrange the scampi on top. Finish with a generous grind of black pepper and, if desired, a fresh mint leaf.