Turmeric Pasta with Garlic Butter Seared Scallops and Ricotta
Quite often lately, the titles of my recipes are longer than the recipe itself. The thing is, I need to get it all in to explain what’s exactly in it.
For example, if I just said pasta with scallops would you really get the gist of what’s going on in this dish? I would get questions like “why is that pasta yellow” and “is that white stuff cheese or what”?
I bet you’re wondering where in the world I found this gorgeous turmeric infused pasta. I really can’t deal with this colour!
Believe it or not, I was standing in line at my local HomeSense Canada store and there it was. It actually caught my eye (among a million other things that are strategically merchandised throughout the check out line area). I have to say, the “People of HomeSense” are brilliant. There is a reason why the long lines are worth waiting in and that’s because, your eye travels to all kinds of goodies that are placed on either side of you while you inch forward. Stuff that somehow makes their way into my shopping cart whether I need it or not.
I wanted to create a special dish with this pasta as the HERO. There are two things you want to do when showcasing something so pretty.
- Don’t drown pasta in a sauce that will hide the feature colour, and;
- Keep the ingredients light and subtle so you can enjoy and taste the flavour of the pasta.
This is exactly the type of meal you serve when you are in the mood for something summery and easy. Fresh snap peas from the garden, seared scallops laced with garlic butter and a dollop of ricotta cheese. The sauce itself is a simple combination of extra virgin olive oil, butter, parmesan and fresh herbs. Its purpose is to be light, fresh, and just saucy enough to help it all meld together effortlessly.
And then it looks like so….
Total. Delish. Bombdiggity. It’ like summer just slapped you in the face.
I mean, just staring at this make me want to sing. And you don’t want me to do that – ask Steve, he knows what my vocal skills are like.
Next time you’re planning pasta night, skip the heavy, loaded sauces, and go with a light sauce instead. Sometimes the most perfect things in life are also the most simply beautiful.
- 8 oz package turmeric pasta (or any pasta) - see note below for pasta water
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- NOTE: ¼ cup pasta water, reserved from pot
- splash of white wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 6 - 8 fresh sea scallops, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons garlic butter
- 1 cup snap peas, steamed
- ¼ cup fresh ricotta cheese
- Cook pasta according to package directions (once cooked, reserve ¼ cup pasta water and set aside.
- Melt garlic butter in a large skillet on medium high heat. Sear scallops with garlic butter until cooked, about two minutes per side. Keep the scallops warm while the pasta is cooking.
- Drain pasta and place into the skillet you used for the scallops. Add the reserved pasta water, butter, olive oil, red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, pinch of salt and black pepper and the parsley leaves. Toss with tongs to coat the pasta evenly. Add a splash of white wine, then toss in snap peas. Plate and serve with scallops, ricotta cheese and additional fresh parmesan.
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