Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring
Salt Table Tybee Island Coastal Blend, Savannah Pride Rainbow Blend or Southern Italian Seasoning Blend.
Oysters are but rarely paired with pasta in Italy, but they’re so plentiful in our area that it seems a shame not to take advantage of them. Salt Table’s Tybee Island Blend is perfect for seafood pasta dishes and makes the seasoning of this one very simple. Other perfect Salt Table blends for this are Savannah Pride Rainbow Blend and Southern Italian Seasoning Blend.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 1 cup drained shucked oysters, preferably local, drained but liquor reserved
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
- Tybee Island Coastal Seasoning Blend, Savannah Pride Rainbow Blend or Southern Italian Seasoning Blend.
- The Salt Table Sea Salt
- 3-4 ounces small pasta shells
- 2 teaspoons minced flat leaf parsley, optional
How to make it:
- Pick over the oysters for bits of shell. Put at least 3 quarts of water on to boil over medium-high heat. Put 2 teaspoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed 10-inch pan over medium low heat. When it’s warmed, add the crumbs, tossing to coat them, and lightly toast them, stirring constantly. Remove the crumbs from the pan.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan and let it get hot, then add the oysters and toss until they’re plump and firm, about 1 minute. Season them lightly with the Tybee Island Blend then remove them with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the wine and reserved oyster liquor to the pan, bring them to a boil, and cook until they’re reduced and thick. Turn off the heat.
- When the pot of water is boiling, stir in a small handful of salt and the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (firm to the bite but not pasty at the center). When it’s almost done, reheat the sauce over medium low heat. Cut the oysters into 2-3 pieces, return them to the sauce with any accumulated juice, and simmer until they’re hot through and the sauce is thick again. Stir in the parsley, if using, and taste and adjust the Tybee Island Blend, Savannah Pride Rainbow Blend or Southern Italian Seasoning Blend.
- Turn off the heat. When the pasta is ready, drain and add it to the sauce. Add the toasted crumbs, toss, and serve at once.
Suggested Seasonings
Tybee Island Coastal Grinder Blend