Scallop Sauce with Toasted Bread Crumbs
NOTE: In this
sauce, toasted bread crumbs take the place of grated cheese (which
is not served with seafood sauces in Italy) and are tossed with the
pasta and scallop sauce just before serving. Use linguine or
spaghetti here and do not shake the pasta dry when draining. If the
pasta is still coated with a little cooking water (but not
dripping) it will marry better with the oil-based sauce. Start
cooking the pasta just before heating the oil in step
2.
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (see figures 36–38)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes or to taste
1 pound scallops, tendons discarded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Adjust oven rack to center-low position and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix crumbs with 1 tablespoon oil and pinch salt to coat evenly. Spread in single layer on small baking sheet. Bake crumbs, stirring once after 5 minutes, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Set crumbs aside.
2. Heat remaining oil in very large skillet. Add garlic and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add hot red pepper flakes and salt to taste and continue cooking for another 30 seconds.
3. Increase heat to high. Add scallops and sauté, stirring occasionally, until opaque, about 3 minutes. Stir in parsley and adjust seasonings. Immediately toss sauce with pasta and toasted bread crumbs and serve.