Pasta is an easy fast meal to pull together and it’s pretty much a blank palate for any type of sauce or toppings. One of my favorite “fast” pasta meals includes a topping of oven-grilled shrimp, salmon and scallops mixed with some chopped linguica sausage or bacon for added flavor.

If using shrimp and scallops from your freezer, defrost them in advance and blot with paper towels so they don’t give off too much liquid. This recipe makes a generous portion for 4  people but it’s easy to scale down if needed.

In order that everything is ready to serve at the same time, allow 12 - 14  minutes to cook and drain the pasta and toss with the sauce, and 4 - 6 minutes to broil the seafood.

Because of the high moisture content of all the seafood, the drier heat of the Broil Mode with no Convection will give the best results.

PREPARATION

Line a rimmed baking sheet with some paper towels spread the seafood onto the pan in one layer and blot with paper towels to remove excess liquid.

Heat the pasta water, cook the pasta and mix with the bottled sauce when drained.

Preheat the oven in the Broil Mode 480°F or Hi.

Discard the paper towels (compost) and line the pan with some foil, shiny side down. Toss the seafood with the remaining ingredients and spread it onto the prepared pan, cook for 4 - 6 minutes until the seafood has cooked through and is browning on the edges.

Remember to keep the oven door closed when broiling and have a landing space ready to place the very hot tray you will be taking out of the oven.

Spoon the seafood over the pasta tossed with the sauce and garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

½ - lb. uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined

½ - lb. scallops, cut into half or thirds if very large

1 - lb. salmon, cut into 1” cubes

½ - spicy Linguica sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1” cubes (optional….but terrific)

1 - cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

3 - cloves garlic, chopped

¼ - teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Dash of dried Chili flakes (optional)

2 - tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

1 - lb. spaghetti or linguini

1 - jar of vodka sauce