Spaghetti with Scallops and Citrus Fruit

5 from 19 votes

Spaghetti with Scallops and Citrus Fruit

This spaghetti with scallops and citrus fruit is a divine example of why pasta with scallops is a popular addition to Italian Christmas, New Year and special occasion menus. It's bursting with flavour yet very easy to make!

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean

Keyword: citrus flavours, holiday menu, scallops, seafood pasta, spaghetti

Servings:

Calories: 526kcal

Author: Jacqui

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

This recipe is best made with spaghetti but you can used other long pasta like linguine or even short pasta like farfalle.

Nutrition