Making pesto from capers can be tricky - mostly because of how capers tend to be stored. They’re normally bought preserved in vinegar or salt, and having a pesto which is either too salty or vinegary is really quite unpleasant. I’d advise mixing both types of capers, if you have them. With both varieties, make sure you let them sit in water for a couple of hours, ideally all day, before making the pesto. If you haven’t got all day to wait, soak the capers in boiling water for at least 30 mins, check their saltiness, and possibly repeat.
Pappardelle with Caper Pesto and Scallops
FOR FOUR
250g large scallops
200g small scallops
PESTO
30g salted capers
50g capers in vinegar
40g flaked almonds
28g pinoli
grated parmesan (approx 40g)
30g basil leaves
5g flat parsley leaves
1 large garlic clove
EVO
PASTA
400g fresh egg pappardelle
MANTECATURA
none, simply combine
Method
make the pesto
Unlike my other recipes for pesto, I’m giving a more precise indication of quantities for this dish - but there will still be a certain amount of adjusting flavours ‘to taste’ at the blending stage. Just begin by pulse blending small quantities of each of the ingredients and adding enough oil to help the blender do its work. If you prefer a smoother pesto, omit or reduce the almonds and just use pinoli.
sear the scallops
Once you’ve blended the pesto and reached the balance of flavours that’s right for you, let it sit at room temperature for half an hour or so before you start to boil the pasta. At this point you can sear the scallops - I do this in a heavy iron pan which has been wiped with oil and then heated until it’s very hot. Place the scallops in the pan and after 30 seconds turn off the heat, turning each scallop individually to cook on the other side with the residual heat in the pan. Smaller scallops will take about 4-5 min cooking time and larger ones about 6-7 min. Don’t under-cook OR overcook them!
boil the pasta
Boil and cook the pasta - when it’s done to your liking, put about half the total pesto into a pre-warmed pasta wok, and loosen it up with perhaps a third of a ladle of cooking water. Fish the pasta out of the cooking water and add it immediately to the pasta wok, off the heat.
combine
Toss to combine, adding more pesto and tiny amounts of cooking water if it feels too sticky, but don’t turn it into a runny mess. When the pasta and sauce are nicely combined, throw in half the scallops. Toss and combine and then plate each portion, sharing out the remainder of the scallops as a topping.
Nutrition per serving
KCAL: 681
Fat (g): 44.6
Sat Fat (g): 7.0
Carb (g): 35.3
Sug (g): 1.7
Fibre(g): 5.2
Prot (g): 33.5
Salt (g): 2.96
