Italian Spaghetti with Garlic Butter Scallops

Bring a taste of Italy to your table with this easy and wholesome Italian Spaghetti with Garlic Butter Scallops. Light, healthy, and full of flavour, it’s the perfect recipe for a quick weeknight dinner or a special weekend treat. With just a few fresh ingredients and simple steps, you’ll have a restaurant-quality dish ready in under 30 minutes. Whether you're using fresh or frozen scallops, it's never been easier to cook something this delicious at home!

Ingredients:

• 200g spaghetti

• Scallops, Frozen 

• 80g pancetta or bacon

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 1 small shallot, finely chopped (optional)

• ¼ cup dry white wine (optional)

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Pinch of red chili flakes (optional)

• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

• Grated Parmigiano

Instructions:

1. Cook the pasta
   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, then drain.

2. Crisp the pancetta
   In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden and crispy, about 5–6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

3. Sear the scallops
   Pat the scallops dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high. In the same pan with pancetta fat, sear the scallops for 1–2 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

4. Make the garlic butter sauce
   Reduce heat to medium. Add butter, garlic, and shallot (if using) to the skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Deglaze the pan with white wine (if using) and let it reduce for a minute. Stir in lemon juice.

5. Combine everything
   Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss well to coat in the garlic butter sauce. Use a bit of the reserved pasta water to loosen if needed. Gently fold in the crispy pancetta and seared scallops.

6. Serve
   Plate the pasta and top with a few whole scallops. Garnish with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano if desired. Serve immediately with a wedge of lemon.