When we had scallops a couple of weeks ago and we said nothing about them being special meatballs, Mira looked at them through the corner of her eye very unpleasantly and would not come near them. This time, she ate her portion with relish.
What? Didn’t you know that scallops are the “meatballs of the sea”? Ok, maybe we just made that up last night to entice our daughter to eat her dinner, but it is worth repeating. For most children something that they can call a meatball is synonymous with a tasty little morsel, something that they can handle and even enjoy.
Oven Roasted Tomato Pasta with Scallops
For the pasta:
*1 pint cherry tomatoes (we used a beautiful orange variety here)
*1 pint grape tomatoes
*4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
*1 medium red onion, chopped about the same size as the tomatoes you are working with
*salt and pepper, to taste
*a couple of glugs of olive oil
*1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped
*1 T-1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (optional***)
*1 lb. fresh angel hair pasta or spaghetti
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Start to heat your pasta water. The water should be salty, like sea water.
With your mini-chef, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Place the tomatoes, garlic, and onion down on the baking sheet. Give them a good glug or two of the olive oil. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and toss them using your hands.
Big Person: Roast in the oven for about 25-35 minutes, depending on the size of the tomatoes. Shake the pan a couple of times so that everything cooks evenly. The tomatoes should be bursting and the onion tender when they are ready.
Transfer the tomato mixture into a serving bowl or into a large pot. Smoosh the tomatoes and garlic with the back of your spoon so that the skins burst. Discard the garlic skins and mush them very well, to a paste. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and the parmesan. Cook your pasta. For fresh angel hair, 30 seconds works for us. Drain the pasta, and put it right over your tomato mixture in the bowl or pot. Toss immediately, adding a little extra olive oil if you feel it needs a bit more coating.
***Most people find cheese a very strange ingredients when you are also eating seafood, but I have included it here since it lends a richness to the pasta and because children generally love pasta with parmesan. Feel free to opt out if it is not your thing.
For the scallops:
*1 lb. sea scallops
*2 pieces of uncured bacon
*black pepper
*a couple of glugs of olive oil
Cross-hatch the tops of the scallops-that is, make a tic-tac-toe board on the top of each scallop that goes a third of the way down into the scallop. Sprinkle them with black pepper.
Heat a couple of glugs of olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon in the olive oil till it browns on both sides. Remove the bacon from the pan and reserve it for another dish. Now, place the scallops, cross-hatch side down in the pan and cook till golden brown, about 2-3 minutes flip with tongs, and cook the other side the same way. Remove to a warm serving platter.
Serve everything together on one big platter. Enjoy!
