Creamy Tuscan linguine with scallops

Tuscany on your plate - this creamy Tuscan linguine with scallops brings together sun, sea, and southern flavors in an elegant pasta dish. Lightly seared scallops are luxuriously paired with white wine, creamy sauce, and the rich taste of sun-dried tomatoes. Baby spinach adds fresh green accents, and a pinch of chili gives the whole a subtle kick. Serve this linguine as a refined dinner on a sultry summer evening, with a glass of well-chilled white wine and the feeling that the Tuscan sun has joined you at the table.

How to make creamy Tuscan linguine with scallops?

Good preparation is half the battle. That's why, as always, we pay extra attention to prepping the ingredients. This way, you can cook without stress and create a delicious dish.

A few preparations

We start this time with the scallops. Place them on paper towels to draw out excess moisture. Why this is so important will be explained later when we start baking them. It's also essential to let them come to room temperature.

Now it's time to finely chop the vegetables. Begin with the onion: peel it, halve it, and chop it into small pieces. Do the same with the garlic cloves.

Remove the green stem from the red chili pepper. Want a spicy version? Slice it into rings without removing the seeds. Otherwise, halve the chili lengthwise, remove the seeds, and then chop it finely.

Next, chop the baby spinach into pieces.

Finally, we have the sun-dried tomatoes. It's easiest to use the kind preserved in oil, as dried ones are very tough and hard to chop (speaking from experience…). Chop the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces. They will add a lot of flavour to the dish.

Cooking the linguine with scallops

This dish comes together in three steps: first, we cook the linguine. Then we prepare the sauce in a deep pan or wok. Finally, we quickly sear the scallops until golden and crisp.

Cooking the linguine

Start by boiling water with a bit of oil and salt - oil to prevent sticking, salt for flavor. Cook the linguine for about ten minutes or as indicated on the package. Meanwhile, you can prepare the sauce. Once drained, the linguine will be mixed into the sauce at the end.

Making the creamy sauce

Heat some oil in a large pan or wok - you'll need room to add the linguine later.

Sauté the onion and chili pepper first. After a minute, add the garlic. Cook until the aromas are released.

Deglaze with white wine and let it reduce for a few minutes. Meanwhile, dissolve the starch in a bit of broth.

Once the wine has reduced, add the broth, cream, and dissolved starch. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and let the sauce thicken.

Finally, stir in the baby spinach. Once well combined, add the linguine to the sauce. The dish is now complete. Keep it warm or let it simmer gently.

Searing the scallops

Now it's time to sear the scallops. Heat a pan with a bit of olive oil. Meanwhile, pat the scallops thoroughly dry - this is crucial for a good result.

• If they're too moist, they'll steam instead of sear, resulting in no crust and a rubbery texture - which would be a real shame.
• A dry scallop won't stick to the pan and will release once a golden crust has formed.
• Removing the moisture also preserves the pure seafood flavor.

Once the pan is hot, season the scallops with salt and pepper. Sear them briefly over high heat - about one minute per side for smaller ones, up to two minutes for larger ones. Like all seafood, they cook quickly and become rubbery if overdone.

Finally, spoon the linguine with sauce into deep plates and top with the scallops. Enjoy this Tuscan dish on a warm summer evening with the setting sun and a chilled glass of white wine.

This recipe was inspired by Mantitlement.

More surprising.Italian

Italian cuisine is more than world famous for its simple but tasty dishes. It gives you a holiday feeling, just by looking at it or thinking about it. So here are some more articles with a holiday feeling:

• Sicilian tuna pasta with fried capers.
• Pasta alla puttanesca.
• Salsiccia casserole with fennel ratatouille.
• One-pan spaghetti with tomatoes and Chorizo.
• Vegetarian gnocchi with yellow bell pepper.

If you speak Dutch, you can find the Dutch version of this recipe on gerechtenweb.blog.