Ingredients
Kosher salt
3/4 lb. spaghetti
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 1/2 c. marinara
2 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tbsp. dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
16 large shrimp
1/2 lb. salmon, skin off and cut into chunks
16 littleneck clams
Red pepper flakes, chopped fresh parlsey, and grated parmesan, for serving
Preparation
Step 1Preheat the oven to 425º. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until slightly chewy, about 8 minutes. Drain.Step 2Return the pot to medium heat, add oil and garlic and cook, stirring until just starting to turn golden. Add marinara, heavy cream, and wine; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and stir in spaghetti. Remove from the heat.Step 3Place a quarter of spaghetti mixture in center of a large sheet of parchment paper. Top with a quarter each of shrimp, clams, and salmon. Close packet and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with 3 additional pieces of parchment and the remaining spaghetti mixture, shrimp, clams, and salmon.Step 4Bake 20 minutes until seafood is cooked through and clams open. Carefully open packet. Top with red pepper flakes, parsley, parmesan and serve.
While this cooking method is a popular and surprisingly easy way to infuse a ton of flavor into fish, it’s not so common with pasta. Nevertheless, when we came across the idea of spaghetti en papillote on Pinterest (Chef Marc Vetri has a recipe for Spaghetti in Parchment with Clams and Scallions), we needed to test it ourselves. Should pasta be baked? Outside of a casserole (like baked ziti or lasagna), the idea felt crazy. But after cooking it once, we say: YES. When you essentially steam al dente spaghetti in the oven together with sauce and fresh seafood, the pasta is infused with flavor in a way that just doesn’t happen when you simply toss everything together. Give it a try and you’ll see.
