One of the nice things about this cookbook is the stories that Marcella includes along with the recipes. Cannocchie is a distinct type of shellfish that is only available in the Adriatic Sea. They are similar to shrimp, but more flat like lobster. That is why the shrimp for this recipe have a long toothpick ran down the belly section to straighten the shrimp and make it look like it’s Adriatic counterpart. The back of the shell is also split all the way down.
This is a very simple recipe and outside of the marinating time, can be prepared rather quickly. It is just olive oil, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. This is rubbed over the outside of the shells and stuffed in the slit in back. I marinated the shrimp for around an hour. The shrimp are then placed on a grill rack and grilled or broiled at high heat for around 2 minutes per side. They began to blacken some during this process, but according to Marcella that is part of the tradition of the dish.

The shrimp prepared this way were tasty, but very messy to eat. If I were to make this dish again I would probably increase the oil a little, because the breadcrumbs were a tad dry, but overall the flavor was good. A good dish to serve for friends.