Venetian-style Scallops

A hot fish hors d'oeuvre, typically Venetian but popular along the North Adriatic coast. In Venice, scallops are served both as appetizers and as tasty second course.

  • Time

    25 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Course

    Appetizers

  • Italian Region

    Veneto

Ingredients

Servings 4

  • 8 scallops
  • ⅛ oz garlic
  • ½ oz parsley
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

20 minutes preparation + 5 minutes cooking

Step 1

Carefully brush the shells when still shut. Wash repeatedly, the open to prepare for the cooking, remove the yellow part and the slimy part.

Venetian-style capesante - step 1

Step 2

Heat the oil in a pan, add finely chopped garlic and the mussels. On high heat, add parsley and dill. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes.

Venetian-style capesante - step 2

Step 3

Re-arrange each shell by placing two mussels inside and pouring a little of the cooking liquid over each one.

Chef's Tips

This hors-d’oeuvre is quick to prepare and can be included in an à-la-carte menu, to be benefit of the service as well as of the clients.This dish can also be served with hot croutons brushed with garlic.

Food history

Capasanta (scallop) is the Italian for Coquille Saint-Jacques, the symbol of pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It is also one of the symbols in Pope Benedict XVI's coat of arms.

It is often linked to the image of Venus, for instance in the famous Botticelli's painting "The birth of Venus".
Source: Academia Barilla Gastronomic Library.

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