Rigatoni with Scallops in a Garlic Cream Sauce

This creamy garlic pasta is filled with intense roasted garlic flavor and topped with perfectly seared scallops!

Preheat oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Remove the out layerd garlic skins, leaving only the intact skins on each garlic clove.
Trim off about ¼ inch of the top of the of the garlic head to expose the garlic cloves.
Drizzle Olive Oil onto garlic, season with salt and pepper.
Wrap garlic head in foil, place on pan to prevent any drippings in the oven.
Place garlic head in oven.
Cook for about 40 minutes until garlic gets soft. Remove from oven. Let cool.
Once garlic cools, you can remove garlic by pressing the bottom of the garlic head. Mash the garlic with a fork if needed to make a more pureed consistency. Set aside.

While your garlic is roasting. Start making your sauce.
Add four tablespoons of butter, dry white wine and 2 cups of heavy cream to a large sauce pan and bring to a simmer using medium heat. Reduce heat to low heat. Simmer sauce for about 15 to 20 minutes or until sauce reduces by half.
During the last five minutes of simmering the sauce, gently stir in the roasted garlic, sun dried tomatoes and onion powder.
Add parmesan cheese and remaining heavy cream. Gently stir until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While sauce is simmering. Start cooking your pasta.
Bring water to boil in large pot and salt the water.
Cook pasta al dente according to pasta package directions.
Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water for sauce. Drain pasta, add drizzle of olive oil to pasta, toss to coat.

Add reserved pasta water to cream sauce. Stir gently to combine.
Toss pasta in sauce ensuring pasta is coated with sauce. Cover and Turn off heat.

Season both sides of scallops with salt and pepper.
Heat medium size nonstick pan using medium high heat until pan gets hot.
Add about two teaspoons of olive oil to pan.
When oil becomes hot add scallops to pan. Make sure not to overcrowd pan. Cook scallops for two minutes, flip scallops, add remaining one tablespoon of butter to pan, cook scallops for another two minutes.
Place cooked scallops on top of the pasta/sauce mixture.
Garnish dish with fresh chopped basil. Serve immediately.

1. Gather and measure out all ingredients before starting for an easier workflow while cooking. 2. Fresh Pasta is the best pasta selection for this dish. Fresh pasta tastes better when added to butter base cream sauces. You can find fresh pasta in the refrigerator area of your grocery store. 3. Cook pasta al dente because the pasta will continue to cook when added to the sauce. 4. Double the ingredients for a saucier pasta.5. The pasta will soak up the sauce. If there are any leftovers, there will be less sauce. 6. Freshly Shaved Parmesan Cheese melts better when selecting your Parmesan cheese. 7. Use a really good nonstick skillet to sear scallops so the scallops do not stick. 8. You can use chicken stock or broth in place of the dry white wine. 9. If you do not have time to roast the garlic, you can sauté about eight finely chopped garlic cloves in a drizzle of olive oil in pan, right before adding the butter and cream to the pan. 10. Scallops can be substituted for other meats such as shrimp, chicken or even salmon.

Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 378mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1203IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 1mg