Oh Valentine’s Day! I remember when I was younger, Valentine’s was all about having dinner out, followed by a movie and then drinks. Basically an entire evening kind of deal. Let’s just say that these days my idea of a great Valentine’s Day is to spend it at home cooking a deliciously hearty seafood pasta for my family and enjoying it with a glass (or two! who am I kidding?) of our favourite wine.
On Valentine’s..
I’ve always thought that love should be celebrated every single day, but there’s something about Valentine’s Day that inspires me deeply. It inspires me to bake or cook something special. Either something that I haven’t made in a while or a totally new recipe. You see, it’s not the gifts, or going out for the night what I treasure, but the joy of cooking for the people I love is priceless.
Let it be pasta!
Last year I made a decadent and creamy cheesecake topped with Nutella and berries and a few days ago, velvety Chocolate Pots de Crème. But on the savoury side of things for this Valentine’s Day I’ll be making a seafood fettuccine with arrabiata sauce. An utterly hearty dish that’s packed with flavour. Not only is this recipe super easy to put together, but it ups your dinner game with the inclusion of tender shrimp and plump and buttery scallops.
It’s all about the pasta sauce
Consider this sauce the easiest one you’ll ever make. Is that simple. It has so much flavour and such a wonderful aroma! Perfect not only for this seafood pasta but for a vegetarian option as well (try adding juicy cherry tomatoes, grilled eggplant and zucchini instead) Also feel free to adjust the amount of chili flakes in this recipe depending on how spicy you want your pasta. Warren and I love spicy food, so for this recipe I’m using a full teaspoon.
Seafood pasta for the win!
Enjoy this deliciously comforting pasta with generous spoonfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of parsley. This fiery and zesty seafood pasta with arrabbiata sauce is hassle-free perfection. Which makes it great for a weeknight dinner. It pairs so well with a variety of delicious red wines from the LCBO, especially Chianti. A full-body and juicy red made to enjoy with tangy tomato dishes. Chianti is also delicious when you pair it with Shakshuka or a cheeseboard filled with Asiago, Friulano, Pecorino and Parmiggiano.
So this Valentine’s Day, you’ll find me at home cooking this recipe for Warren and the girls while listening to my go-to playlist and drinking a glass of wine. My idea of a perfect Valentine’s Day. Hope you get inspired and enjoy it with the people you love the most.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced (2 for the pasta sauce/2 for the seafood)
- 1 can (796 mL) pressed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley +more for serving
- 400 gr fresh large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 12 medium size scallops
- 300 gr fettuccine- for this recipe I used fresh -not dried pasta
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cloves of garlic (previously minced) to the pan and cook for 30 seconds stirring constantly.
- Pour the pressed tomatoes and add the salt, chili flakes, sugar and parsley. Cook covered on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- In a large frying pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil, add 1 garlic glove (previously minced) and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the shrimp and cook on one side until golden. Repeat with the other side. Once the shrimp is cooked, set aside on a plate.
- In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly and sear the scallops until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate.
- In a large pot filled with boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente (for fresh pasta it only takes 4 minutes and for dry pasta, up to 11 minutes) Once ready, drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- Return the fettuccine to the pot, add the sauce, reserved pasta water and the shrimp. Fold the ingredients until mixed together.
- Cook for 2 minutes at medium low heat and serve topping each plate, with 3 to 4 scallops. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, parsley and enjoy!!
This post was made in collaboration with the LCBO, however all views, opinions and recipe creation are my own.
Hands down one of my favourite recipes!!