*Originally posted April 25, 2011*
One of B’s favorite dishes is Penne al la Vodka – which is usually made with a jarred vodka sauce found in the grocery store. Feeling a little daring in the kitchen, I decided to make my own vodka sauce. I created a tomato cream sauce and added a little Prosciutto for a meatier taste. I used shrimp, large scallops, onions, and fresh herbs along with the penne.
¾ pounds Penne Pasta
1 pound Shrimp, de-veined and detailed
6 large Scallops
4 slices Prosciutto
5 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Vidalia Onion (small)
2 cloves Garlic, diced
½ cups White Wine – I prefer cooking with Chardonnay
1 can Diced Tomatoes in Oregano, Basil, Garlic (8 Oz)
1 can Tomato Paste
1 cup Heavy Cream
Fresh Basil – 1/2 cup, cut into slivers
Parmesan Cheese
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste
1. Cook penne until al dente in salted water. Drain and set aside.
2. Slice and dice onion (size of piece is your preference). Dice garlic (or crush if you prefer).
3. In a cast iron skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon diced garlic. Over medium- low heat, cook 1-2 minutes. Add shrimp, turn heat up to medium, and cook until the tails curl and the shrimps turn pink. DO NOT OVERCOOK (I did about 1-2 min for each side). Remove shrimp, place in a large glass bowl, cover with tinfoil.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Melt over med heat. Cut prosciutto into small pieces. Add to the skillet. Lay scallops on a paper towel and pat both sides dry. Season each side with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook 3 minutes for each side. Remove scallops, place in a glass bowl, cover with tinfoil.
*There will be butter/oil residue in the skillet, as well as the pieces of proscuitto. Leave these here for taste.
4. In the same skillet, add two tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add remaining garlic and the onions. Cook until onions are translucent. Add white wine and cook 4 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and can of tomato paste. Stir and cook sauce for 8 minutes over med-low heat..
5. Turn the heat down to low. Slowly add in your heavy cream and stir using a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
6. While your sauce simmers on LOW heat, place your shrimp on a cutting board and slice into bite sized pieces. Add to the sauce. Place your scallops on the cutting board and carefully slice your scallops into bite sized pieces. Add to the sauce. Stir and cook on low heat for 4 minutes.
7. Add pasta and stir so that all pieces are coated with sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 chopped Basil into the pasta and stir. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
Enjoy!
**Excuse my poor photos, my camera flash is not working!
Lisette says
This looks delish! Where do you buy your scallops from? I LOVE scallops!
Mrs. Bear says
I bought them at Giant believe it or not!
Amanda Leigh says
That looks YUMMMM. Ill have to give that a try soon. I love Penne al la Vodka- and Tyler loves scallops! so its sure to be a winner!
northernbellecreations says
I will be making this dish tonight as a welcome home dinner for the hubby away for business. Thanks again! I will post on my blog and link it to yours when I’m done!
Confessions of a Northern Belle says
this looks amazing 🙂
Confessions of a Northern Belle says
It is one of my favorite dishes!
Confessions of a Northern Belle says
I wish I had these ingredients on hand for dinner tonight! Looks amazing. And my husband would be most impressed by cooking it in a cast iron skillet. We are obsessed with ours!
Confessions of a Northern Belle says
I really like scallops but am super scared to make them. I’m weird about seafood so I only ever order it at restaurants but this looks so amazing!
Confessions of a Northern Belle says
They are actually pretty easy to make! Just remember to pat them dry with a paper towel before you sear them – and I always cook them until they are firm!
Confessions of a Northern Belle says
You should try it out and let me know how it goes!