Spaghetti with Scallops and Citrus Fruit.
Italians don’t have one traditional Christmas meal that is eaten by all (like roast turkey in UK) In fact, traditions vary from region to region, but seafood is among the most eaten holiday fare. Scallops are a favourite special occasion seafood. This spaghetti with scallops and citrus fruit is a divine example of why pasta with scallops is a popular addition to Italian Christmas and New Year menus.
Scallops are probably the most popular edible shellfish in many countries. They can be found wild in all the world’s oceans and are also farmed. Certainly here in Italy, they are a firm favourite among seafood lovers and are on the menu of most seafood restaurants and in many homes at Christmas and New Year.
Scallops as a starter.
Italians eat scallops (capesante in Italian) in a number of different ways . They are a much-loved antipasto (starter) especially served au gratin. This is usually done with the scallop in the shell and cooked in the oven. My hubby likes to put them on the outdoor grill whilst still in their shells. He adds a little oil, garlic and parsley and the shell acts as a cooking vessel. So delicious!
Buying scallops in Italy.
We normally buy fresh scallops in their shells with bright coral roe. Apparently, scallops can be male or female and it’s the females that have the coral roe. Males have an off-white roe. The ones we buy are nearly always female. Not for any particular reason except that those are what we normally find at the fishmonger. As far as I know, both white and coral roe taste the same.
Scallop roe is good for you!
The second most popular way to eat scallops in Italy is with pasta. When making pasta with scallops, each scallop (which is actually the muscle of the mollusc) is removed from the shell. Some people discard the roe. I usually prefer to keep it. Apart from the fact that the roe (which is actually the reproductive organ of the scallop) is very nutritious and full of omega 3s, it’s also delicious. In addition, scallops sold with the roe is a sign of freshness. It means the mollusc was brought to shore alive because the roe deteriorates faster than the muscle and needs to be kept alive longer.
Making this spaghetti with scallops recipe.
There are many Italian recipes for pasta with scallops. This spaghetti with scallops and citrus fruits is one of my favourites. It’s pretty easy to make and so delicious. The sauce can be done in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the spaghetti, so this is also a fairly quick recipe. However, it does need to be served immediately and won’t taste as good if prepared too much in advance because it dries out. You can prepare the sauce a little ahead of time (maybe a couple of hours) and then cook the pasta and reheat the sauce shortly before serving. Add some of the pasta cooking water to the sauce if it's become too dry.
Apart from the scallops and roe (if keeping) this spaghetti with scallops recipe includes only some orange and lemon zest or peel, a few cherry tomatoes, almonds, capers and extra virgin olive oil. Making this dish involves three pretty easy steps. First, you need to grind the almonds and capers together with the citrus zest some orange juice and a little olive oil in a blender to form a kind of pesto. Then cook the scallops and roe with the tomatoes and a little white wine.
While the scallops are cooking boil the water and cook your spaghetti al dente. Finally add the pasta to the scallops, along with the almond and caper mixture. Mix everything together and voila! A beautiful plate of spaghetti with scallops to impress your guests!
For mini portions serve in the shell.
If you decide to include this spaghetti with scallops recipe on the menu for a meal with lots of food, such as Christmas lunch,it's a great idea to serve mini portions on the scallop shells (if you have them). It looks so pretty and everybody loves it!
Why not add this dish to your holiday menu?
This is a great recipe for a festive menu during the upcoming holidays. In Italy, it would be served as a primo (first course) before the main course. Why not add a Italian touch to your holiday menu and include this divine dish.
If you make this spaghetti with scallops and citrus fruit recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out. Please write a comment here on the blog or post a comment on the Pasta Project Facebook page.
Your feedback means a lot to me!
Buon Appetito!
Other fish and seafood pasta recipes on The Pasta Project
- Vesuvio pasta with mussels and beans
- Farfalle pasta with prawns and orange
- Poached salmon and asparagus lasagna
- Linguine alle vongole (clams)
- Spaghetti with smoked trout carbonara
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Spaghetti with Scallops and Citrus Fruit
Ingredients
- 400 g spaghetti (14 oz)
- 12 fresh scallops (you can use frozen too)
- 2 oranges
- 1 lemon
- 100 g fresh cherry tomatoes (3.5 oz) or tinned cherry tomatoes
- ½ glass white wine
- 50 g capers (2oz)
- 50 g peeled almonds (2oz)
- salt for pasta and to taste
Instructions
Make the pesto.
- Peel the lemons and oranges, being careful not to take the white part. (You can also just grate the zest off). Blend the citrus skins/zest in a mixer with the capers and almonds, some of the orange juice and a little extra virgin olive oil.
Cook the scallops
- If your scallops are fresh you will need to remove the white muscle (scallop) and the roe from the shell then wash well under running water. Remove any dirt or grit.
- Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a pan, brown the scallops and roe (if using) for about 5 minutes over a low heat. Add the white wine, turn up the heat and allow the alcohol to evaporate.
- Move the scallops to the edges of the pan and place the tomatoes in the center. Add salt and sauté over a low heat for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Cook the pasta
- In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil add salt and bring to the boil again. Cook the spaghetti al dente according to the instructions on the packet.
- Save a cup of pasta cooking water then drain the spaghetti al dente and add to the pan with the tomatoes and the scallops. Add the 'pesto' of citrus, capers and almonds to the spaghetti , mix everything together and sauté for a minute. If your sauce seems dry add a little pasta cooking water.Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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michele says
We had this as part of our traditional Christmas Eve celebration, which always consists of scallops in some form. Easy, delicious, and surprisingly rich and filling, using a thicker spaghetti. I didn't want to overcook the very nice large scallops so seared them first, put them aside on a plate, then proceeded with the rest of the recipe. I tossed the spaghetti with the pesto before adding the scallops back in to just warm at the end. They were perfectly done. Both my daughter and I thought that a bit of ground Venetian long pepper as a a finishing touch would work very well with this recipe. Thank you as always Jacqui!
Amanda says
No joke — scallops are one of my absolute favorite foods, so this recipe is definitely calling to me. Happy New Year!
April says
I can only imagine how tasteful scallops are with citrus flavor! And I can imagine why this spaghetti is so popular in Christmas and New Year menus. Delicious recipe!
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
I am so in to this recipe. I love the citrus and the pasta. I especially love the almond and capers together tossed into the pasta!
Maddy says
Ahhh I'm so jealous that you have a fishmonger.. we don't have those in Columbus, OH.
You're recipe sounds so delicious! I can't wait to try it! Thank you for sharing.
Jacqui says
Thank you Maddy! This is a super recipe for entertaining! Guests love it! Yes lots of fishmongers in Italy! Guess we're lucky to be surrounded by sea!
Stine Mari says
I love citrus with pasta, it's so fresh. I've never tried it with scallops, but it looks really delicious! Also a great idea to serve it in the shells for appetizers!
Krista Price says
Seafood pasta dishes are right up my alley. If there's a dish on a menu that combines the two, I almost always order it! It's funny that I just found this recipe because I was browsing through my grocery sales ads and there is a a killer deal on scallops right now. I'm going to stock up just to make this dish! 🙂
Gloria says
I have always loved the pasta and seafood combination. Great with a glass of wine. Perfect for entertaining too. Scallops are one of our favourites for sure.
Jacqui says
I love pasta and seafood too Gloria! Yes great for entertaining. In fact, we normally cook seafood when we have guests!
Kelly Anthony says
You always have the best information on your food. I've never bought scallops in the shell but I find the roe so interesting. I love seafood and pasta so I can't wait to try this recipe.
Jacqui says
Am sure you'll like scallops with the roe if you can find them Kelly. It adds a real umami flavour and as I said in the post is a sign of freshness!
Kate says
Gosh, so many amazing flavours all in this gorgeous pasta dish!
Jacque Hastert says
I love a good Italian recipe and this one sounds about right. I love a good switch up from traditional spaghetti dishes.
Pam says
Besides a great sounding recipe, you provided a lot of good information on scallops. Thank you!
Alina | Cooking Journey Blog says
This looks so delicious, would love eat the whole dish for Christmas! And I've never tried pasta with oranges, such unique combination for me.
Deanna says
These scallops look divine! I love the citrus touch!
kim says
I love scallops and this looks like the perfect dinner! Can't wait to give this a try!
Michelle says
This is such a lovely recipe. It sounds so light and fresh and I think it would be perfect for a family meal at Christmas! Love it x
Nicole Triebe says
I've never made scallops before but now i'm definitely trying! This looks to die for!
Sally - My Custard Pie says
So glad you kept the roes. It's criminal when people throw them away I think.
Danielle Wolter says
This sounds like such an awesome recipe. I would totally prefer to eat this than turkey 🙂