Chef notes
When I spent this past summer living in Italy, seafood dishes were my go-to. This dish combines everything I love about Italy — pasta shells, fresh herbs, marinara, succulent shrimp and scallops — in one single dish that can easily and affordably feed a family.
Technique tip: If you purchase your scallops or shrimp uncooked, bring a pot of water to a boil, add the seafood, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain well.
Swap option: You can use lobster instead of shrimp for a more indulgent alternative. Or, if you want to cut costs and/or make this dish vegetarian, you can use all fresh spring vegetables instead of seafood.
Ingredients
- 16-20 jumbo pasta shells
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 medium shallots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces bay scallops, cooked
- 6 ounces small shrimp, cooked
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Preparation
1.Cook the pasta shells according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2.Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thickened, 15-20 minutes.
3.Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a large baking dish with olive oil.
4.In a medium bowl, mix the scallops and shrimp and about half of the tomato sauce. Stuff each pasta shell with the seafood mixture until full. Arrange the shells in a single, tightly packed layer in the prepared baking dish, allowing the shells to touch and using 2 dishes if necessary. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the shells and spread to cover evenly.
5.Bake the shells, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until heated through and slightly crispy. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake 5 minutes, until the cheese is browned.
