Linguine with Prawns, Zucchini Sundried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

I love this recipe. It's a go to recipe and probably one of my top 10 (I think I'll do one of those posts later). Chris and I make it all the time. It was taken from a Food and Wine cookbook that my Grandmother gifted me some time ago. It's fast and delicious, and we think that the addition of zucchini makes it even better than the original recipe. When we're flush we make it with scallops, when were middling with prawns and when we're skint...we don't make it (pine nuts and shell-fish are just too pricey). :(

In addition to the zucchini I have made two additions. Once I've added the garlic and zucchini I add some white wine, it goes well with the shell fish and makes the sauce a little more saucy. Then at the end I add Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, because who doesn't love cheese on pasta?!

If you're making this with scallops follow the directions, make the scallops and set them aside, they are too delicate to cook in the sauce. With the prawns just add them at the end (before the last of the parsley and pine nuts get stirred in) and let them finish in the pan with the sauce. No matter what do not overcook shell fish. It's a crime. If I had my way it would be punishable by death.

Bottom Line (with scallops): 5 stars

1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 pound linguine
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops/Prawns
Salt
1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Scant 1/2 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes

2 med-large zucchini

1/4-1/3 cup white wine

1/4 Pecorino Romano/Parmesan roughly grated

1. Heat the oven to 350°. Toast the pine nuts in the oven until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until just done, about 12 minutes. Drain the pasta.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over moderately high heat until very hot. Season the scallops with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Put the scallops in the pan and sear until brown on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn and sear until brown on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove the scallops and cut them into quarters.
4. In the same pan, heat the remaining 5 tablespoons oil over moderate heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the red-pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Toss with the pasta, scallops, pine nuts, and the remaining 4 tablespoons of parsley.
5. NOTES Reconstituting Dry-Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes
6. You can use dry-packed tomatoes in place of the oil-packed ones. To reconstitute, put them in a bowl with boiling water to cover well. Let sit for five minutes and then drain.