Spicy Squid Ink Pasta with Seared Scallops

S6 E11 | Sal Vulcano + Jay Larson | Squid Ink, Scallops + Quick Sand Kinks | Something’s Burning

My friends Sal Vulcano and Jay Larson come by the kitchen to talk about crowd work comedy, old man health, and quicksand kinks – just to name a few. I make squid ink pasta and scallops while we figure out exactly how the squid ink is obtained… and Jay and I bully Sal into sticking his finger into boiling pasta sauce.

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ⅓ cups 00 flour (+ extra for dusting)
  • 1 ⅓ cups semolina flour
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp squid or cuttlefish ink
  • Fine sea salt
  • Shaved Parmesan for garnish (optional)
  • 15–16 large sea scallops
  • 2 tbsp flour (any kind)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • 15–20 grape tomatoes
  • 1 ½ cups olive oil (total for confit and sauté)
  • 4 whole garlic cloves (+ 2 thinly sliced)
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter (for sauce)
  • 1 tbsp trout or salmon roe (optional)
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper (2 if you like heat)
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • ½ cup seafood stock
  • 20 basil leaves, torn
  • ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice

Method

  1. Crack eggs into a bowl, add salt, squid ink, and olive oil, whisk to combine.
  2. Make pasta by mounding both flours on a clean work surface; create a well and pour in the eggs. Use a fork to draw flour into the eggs, mixing gradually.
  3. When dough is shaggy, knead by hand 10 minutes until smooth and firm. Add a dusting of flour if sticky.
  4. Form a ball, cover with cling film, and rest at least 30 minutes.
  5. Prepare a small pot of boiling water and an ice bath. Score an X on each tomato bottom.
  6. Blanch tomatoes 30–60 seconds until skins loosen; transfer to ice bath.
  7. Dry the pot and add 1 ½ cups olive oil, 4 garlic cloves, and 3 thyme sprigs. Warm over low heat.
  8. Peel tomatoes and place into warm oil to slow-cook on very low heat (up to 1 hour) for confit.
  9. Slice shallots, garlic, and prep herbs so all sauce components are ready before cooking.
  10. Pull scallops from fridge and pat completely dry. Remove side muscles if attached.
  11. Cut rested pasta dough into quarters, keeping unused dough wrapped. Flatten one quarter and roll through pasta machine on widest setting.
  12. Fold into thirds and repeat until smooth, then reduce thickness one notch at a time until setting 5 or 6.
  13. Dust sheet with flour, fold loosely, and cut into ⅓-inch strips. Separate and set aside on a floured tray.
  14. Repeat rolling and cutting for remaining dough.
  15. Set a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare a strainer.
  16. Season scallops with salt, pepper, and a light dusting of flour.
  17. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter; when bubbling, add scallops flour-side down and sear 2 minutes.
  18. Flip, brown 2 minutes more; remove to a tray, cover with foil, and keep warm.
  19. In the same pan, add a drizzle of olive oil, then sliced garlic, shallots, and crushed red pepper. Season lightly and cook 1–2 minutes.
  20. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits; reduce 2 minutes.
  21. Add seafood stock and 1 tbsp butter; reduce a few more minutes while cooking pasta.
  22. Boil pasta 3–5 minutes (depending on thickness) until al dente.
  23. Transfer pasta to skillet, gently toss with sauce, trout roe (if using), lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, and parsley.
  24. Serve pasta in shallow bowls, drizzle with pan sauce.
  25. Add several confit tomatoes and top each serving with seared scallops.
  26. Serve immediately with shaved Parmesan on the side.

Watch the Episode