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Pasta al cartoccio – Scallops pasta in aluminum pouch.

Ingredients: 6 plum tomatoes

2 fresh basil leaves

6 oz. fresh pasta (linguine or tagliatelle)

1 garlic clove

extra virgin oil

6 big scallops, cut up into bite-sized pieces

chopped parsley for flavor and garnish

You also need aluminum foil for cooking.

This cooking technique is delicious. You can apply it with different ingredients at your choice. It gives its best with food that has a delicate taste. What is overwhelming is the sensation of richness in odors when you open the pouch. This is why for me the pouch should be served closed on the dish and let every one open it individually.

Let us start from the beginning. Prepare a tomato sauce with garlic and basil leaves. Remember that you can fry the garlic before or add it very thinly cut during the cooking. (Yes, like they do in the prison scene in Goodfellas.  The difference is that by frying before you give to the sauce a nutty flavor.)

Once the sauce is ready take two dish bowls and cover each with enough foil to contain the pasta and also to crimp at the top to seal. At the bottom place a tablespoon of olive oil. This is very important before putting the pasta as you have to make the pasta wet. Place the following in this order in your aluminum pouch: pasta, scallops, sauce, and then parsley. Then fold over your pouch, crimping the edges so no steam or juices can escape during cooking.  Place them in an oven-safe dish and cook for 20 minutes at 350 degrees in the preheated oven.