Every once in a while I am able to lay aside my make-ahead casseroles, stews, and soups and prepare a fancier dinner that involves cooking and serving immediately. Even then however, I try to keep things as uncomplicated as possible so I often choose dishes with high quality ingredients, but are no-fuss in their preparation. Scallops are the quintessential food of elegance and simplicity. They are rather pricey so we don’t eat them often, but then they are all the more of a treat when we do have them.
There are so many great textures going on here in this dish. There’s the silky smoothness of the scallops, the crispy crunch from the prosciutto and asparagus, and the pleasant chewiness that comes from the fresh spelt pasta. Of course any store-bought pasta can be substituted for the fresh spelt pasta, but going through the extra effort of making homemade pasta for this dish makes it truly outstanding. It’s not everyday that I’m able to cook like this, but I celebrate the days when I can!
PrintSpelt Pasta with Seared Scallops, Crisped Prosciutto, and Asparagus
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
- 1 recipe spelt pasta (or 1 pound pasta of choice)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces fresh sea scallops (or defrosted if using frozen)
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 4 ounces prosciutto, diced
- 1/4 cup finely minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus, boil for 1-2 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for later. Add spelt pasta and boil for another 3-4 minutes, until pasta is just tender. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Dry scallops thoroughly with paper towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper. In a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add scallops one at a time and sear until browned on one side, about 3- 4 minutes. Carefully turn scallops to other side and sear for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer scallops to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside.
- Add prosciutto to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup prosciutto and set aside. Add onion, garlic, and wine and scrape up any browned buts. Boil wine mixture and reduce to about 2 tablespoons. Add cream and reserved pasta water and stir to combine. Continue to cook sauce to reduce slightly, about 4-5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pasta and asparagus and toss to coat. Warm until heated through. Transfer to a large serving bowl or divide on to individual plates. Top with seared scallops, reserved prosciutto, and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
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Sarah Box says
You are so good! Looks yummy yet simple.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I am obsessed with the combination of scallop and prosciutto so I can imagine that this pasta dish tasted just as divine as it looks.
Debbie @ Cooks with Cocktails says
Your scallops looks sooo amazing!!
Vy says
I’ve never had spelt pasta before. Will have to see if my local pasta shop has it. Thanks for the recipe!
Caroline says
Such a gorgeous dish! I love scallops and this combination with the crisp prosciutto sounds amazing! Saving this to make soon!
Julie @ Cooks with Cocktails says
Emily this dish looks sooooo good. Prosciutto and scallops sounds like a fantastic combination. My mom is going to be all over this one too! Thanks for the recipe!
Maurabeth Chilson says
Emily I saw this and had to make this tonight ! It was spectacular! I did replace the pasta with rice noodles. It still was delicious. This will be a definite “go to” recipe.
Thank you!
Emily says
Hi Maurabeth, thanks so much for your sweet comment! Glad to hear it turned out well for you!