Crispy Angel Hair Cakes With Scallops, Escarole And Tomato Coulis

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Rinse, drain and set aside.

On a sheet pan with sides, toss together the tomatoes, garlic, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until they are very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

While the tomatoes are roasting, make the pasta cakes. Warm 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small, non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add a generous 1/2 cup of pasta to the pan and flatten it into a pancake shape. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Transfer to a sheet pan.

Make 3 more cakes in the same way and then 4 small, lacy cakes to use as tops. Set the cakes aside until needed.

When the tomatoes are ready, puree them in a blender or food processor until smooth. Strain into a saucepan cover and set over very low heat until needed.

Warm 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium, non-stick saute pan over very high heat. Add the scallops and brown them on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Do not overcook the scallops. Transfer to a small sheet pan and set aside until needed.

Reduce the heat under the saute pan to medium and add the last teaspoon of olive oil. Saute the pancetta and shallots for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the escarole and cook it until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the escarole is wilting, put the pasta cakes and scallops in the oven to warm.

To assemble, spoon some tomato coulis onto each of your serving plates. Set a large pasta cake on the coulis. Top each with escarole.

Slice the scallops in half crosswise and set 4 slices on each mound of escarole. Finish with a small pasta cake set in place at an angle. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.