Ingredients for 4

2 oz (340g) blackspaghetti
8 oz (225g) shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 oz (225g) scallops, cleaned and patted dry
4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp white ground pepper (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup (120ml) white wine (optional)
Salt to taste
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Recipe

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the black spaghetti and cook typically 9-11 minutes for al dente. Once cooked, drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic. The butter will become infused with the garlic flavor.
Add the shrimp and scallops to the skillet. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. For the scallops, sear them for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Season with salt and white ground pepper to taste.
If using white wine, pour it into the skillet and let it cook for 1-2 minutes to reduce slightly, scraping up any flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the cooked black spaghetti to the skillet with the garlic-infused butter, shrimp, and scallops. Toss to combine, adding a bit of reserved pasta water if needed to help coat the pasta evenly in the sauce.
Plate the pasta and seafood mixture, garnishing with fresh basil leaves and serving with lemon wedges for a fresh burst of flavor (optional). Enjoy immediately!

Did You Know?

When fresh garlic is infused in hot butter, the flavor changes significantly, becoming rich, aromatic, and more complex. The heat causes garlic’s cell walls to break down, releasing sulfur compounds like allicin, which gives garlic its pungent flavor. As the garlic cooks in butter, these sulfur compounds dissolve in the fat, infusing the butter with the bold, savory taste of garlic. Butter, being a fat, serves as a medium that carries and amplifies the flavor molecules from the garlic. This process also triggers the Maillard reaction, where the natural sugars in garlic begin to caramelize, adding a touch of sweetness and depth to the overall flavor profile. The butter smooths out the sharpness of raw garlic, turning its flavor more rounded and savory. The longer the garlic is cooked, the more mellow and fragrant it becomes.