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Fish Friday
I have always enjoyed the Italian traditions passed down through the generations. Meatless Fridays is a Catholic tradition the Italians practiced. I still try and adhere to the meatless Fridays whenever I can, except during Lent, when there is no meat at all.
Fish was the usual choice on Fridays, and I’ve eaten a lot of good pizza on Fridays. The Campagna Region of Italy, where this dish originated, has abundant fish and lots of great pizza. I’m sharing my recipe for Bucatini Aioli e Olio, with hot honey-seared scallops.
Aioli means garlic and oil. Olio is also oil.
Cook your pasta al dente.
Add garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper.
Season according to preference
Cast iron pan Heat a little canola or peanut oil, not olive oil.
When the pan is hot, place dried sea scallops in the pan
Salt and pepper lightly.
Sear scallops for three minutes each side.
Serve along with the pasta on a bed of spinach
Two-ounce ramekins of hot honey on the side for dipping
Don’t worry if a little honey mixes with the pasta.
This creates an amazing by-flavor.
New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are dry and loaded with lemon and grapefruit flavors.
The acidity will call the hot honey a little, if not a beer.I have always enjoyed the Italian traditions passed down through the generations. Meatless Fridays is a Catholic tradition the Italians practiced. I still try and adhere to the meatless Fridays whenever I can, except during Lent, when there is no meat at all.
Fish was the usual choice on Fridays, and I’ve eaten a lot of good pizza on Fridays. The Campagna Region of Italy, where this dish originated, has abundant fish and lots of great pizza. I’m sharing my recipe for Bucatini Aioli e Olio, with hot honey-seared scallops.
Aioli means garlic and oil. Olio is also oil.
Cook your pasta al dente.
Add garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper.
Season according to preference
Cast iron pan Heat a little canola or peanut oil, not olive oil.
When the pan is hot, place dried sea scallops in the pan
Salt and pepper lightly.
Sear scallops for three minutes each side.
Serve along with the pasta on a bed of spinach
Two-ounce ramekins of hot honey on the side for dipping
Don’t worry if a little honey mixes with the pasta.
This creates an amazing by-flavor.
New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are dry and loaded with lemon and grapefruit flavors.
The acidity will call the hot honey a little, if not a beer.
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6 Replies
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Looks absolutely delicious, sir Peter @WineGuy . This is a wonderful post celebrating the Italian Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays and the delicious seafood dishes that come with it. A few key points: The practice of observing meatless Fridays, especially during Lent, is a long-standing tradition in Italian Catholic culture that you still try to uphold. You’ve shared a tasty recipe for Bucatini Aioli e Olio (pasta with garlic and oil) with hot honey-seared scallops, which seems to originate from the Campania region of Italy. The step-by-step instructions cover cooking the pasta al dente, making the garlic and oil sauce, properly searing the scallops, and serving it all with wilted spinach and honey for dipping. You provide useful tips like using a cast iron pan with a neutral oil for searing the scallops, and not worrying if some honey mixes into the pasta as it creates a nice flavor. Pairing suggestions include dry, acidic New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs to balance the sweetness of the honey, or a beer as an alternative. Overall, it’s a mouthwatering recipe that blends the Italian seafood tradition with some creative twists like the hot honey element. Sharing cherished cultural foods and their backstories is a great way to experience diverse cuisines. This meatless pasta and scallop dish sounds absolutely delicious! Thank you for providing the context behind the tradition and the detailed, easy-to-follow recipe instructions. Definitely makes me want to give this a try for my next Fish Friday meal!
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This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by Rugger.
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This reply was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by
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Tell me something I don’t know
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Peter, is there a reason why Catholics have Fishy Fridays? Laurie does not eat fish on Fridays and when the kids were younger, every Fridays were no meat and only fish and vegetables. Never got to know the reasoning behind that.
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I used to love to cook when I had my three children living with us. Now they are all grown and out of the house. I hardly ever cook since it is just my wife and I. On my dogs birthdays, I barbecue for them. Hamburger and chicken. They love it.
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I have always been the cook for my kids growing up. My dad was a executive chef, my son is a chef, my sister worked for the family food business. Italian men make the best cooks!
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Traditions get passed through generations, sometimes we don’t know the meaning. Tonight I’m not cooking, having pizza!