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Seared scallops share equal billing with the pasta in this extra-fast recipe.
Is it ever OK to add cheese to an Italian seafood pasta dish?
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Jack Bishop
Author, editor, and avid home cook
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As an Italophile, you might think I have a firm rule against putting cheese on seafood pasta. But, in truth, my viewpoint is more situational. There are times when cheese can overpower the delicate flavor of seafood, which is the usual argument against mixing these two ingredients together. But seafood and cheese work nicely in other cuisines (think shrimp and feta in Greek shrimp saganaki). In my humble opinion, there are times when the savoriness of grated Parmesan actually improves a bowl of seafood pasta.
A prime example is this recipe for Campanelle with Scallops.
There’s nothing particularly subtle about a dish with four cloves of garlic and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. To my mind, the umami notes in Parmesan balance out the brininess of the clam juice, the sweetness of the seared scallops, and the punch of the garlic and pepper flakes.
I do think seafood pasta and Parm work best together when the cheese is added during the saucing process and becomes incorporated into the dish. In this recipe, ½ cup of grated cheese goes into the pot along with pasta, sauce, parsley, lemon juice, butter, and reserved cooking liquid. While the recipe says you can also garnish individual bowls with more Parm, I prefer to put flaky Maldon sea salt on the table and let the cheese work its magic in the kitchen.
My Weekend Recommendations
I’ll be back in your inbox on Sunday. Until then, here are some suggestions for the days ahead.
Watch
Working in our test kitchen is a pretty incredible experience. Even after 30+ years, I’m still humbled by what we accomplish together. We are always looking for new talent and now there’s an easy way for you to watch us evaluate potential test cooks.
America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation
is back on Prime Video with a brand-new season you can binge today. Eleven aspiring test cooks compete for the job of a lifetime, working here in the test kitchen. Dan Souza is the head judge and each episode features a quick tutorial where Dan demonstrates the absolute best way to accomplish a common cooking task. Check out season 2. I think you will enjoy the competition and learn something new with each episode.
Bake
Is there a more perfect dessert than the humble cookie? Sure, I appreciate fancy tortes, layered cakes, and latticed pies. But, honestly, I’d rather have a cookie, preferably one with a chewy center and crispy edges.
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies truly merit their name. Browned butter makes them way more interesting than the back-of-the-bag recipe.
And a novel mixing method produces caramelized lacy edges and oh-so-gooey centers.
Make sure to use quality chocolate chips, preferably something with 60 percent cacao, so that these cookies aren’t too sweet.
If you want to make just 8 cookies, check out the small-batch variation—it’s perfect when Lauren and I are baking for just the two of us.
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