Seafood Pasta Papillote

Seafood Pasta Papillote

Recipe adapted from: foodiebaker.com/seafood-pasta-al-cartoccio/

½ pound spaghetti, cooked 5-6 minutes in simmering, salted water

2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

¼ cup heavy cream (if desired)

2-4 scallops, dry packed

2-4 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup jumbo lump crabmeat

¼ teaspoon chili flakes

6 basil leaves

zest of 1 lemon

½ bunch parsley leaves, picked and chopped fine, for garnish

freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

extra virgin olive oil to drizzle, for garnish

Parchment paper, for cooking

Preheat oven to 375˚F.

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of simmering, salted water for 5-6 minutes.  Remove the spaghetti to a bowl and reserve the cooking water. 

While the pasta is cooking, season the seafood with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Set aside.

Toss the pasta with the tomato sauce and cream.  Add in pasta water, bit by bit, to loosen the pasta if necessary, add lemon zest and chili flake.

Top with the seafood.

Prepare 2 large pieces of parchment paper-at least 17x15-inches big.  Divide the pasta between the two parchment papers and arrange it in the middle.  Pour any remaining sauce over the pasta.

To wrap the parcels, pick up the long sides of the parchment paper over the pasta until the edges meet.  Fold the edges down a few times until the edges are tight over the pasta.  Pick up the short sides of the parchment paper, scrunch them up to tie a knot over the pasta, be careful not to tear the parchment paper.  Make sure the parcels are sealed so that the sauce will not ooze out during baking.

Transfer the parcels carefully to a baking sheet and bake in the center rack for 12-14 minutes until the seafood is cooked and the sauce is bubbling.  Remove the baking sheet and transfer each parcel to a shallow serving bowl and serve them immediately.

Unwrap the parcels and garnish with Italian parsley, picked basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired.