Directions
1. Cook the penne.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the penne until just al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Sear the scallops.
Pat the scallops very dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallops in a single layer and sear without moving for about 2 minutes, until deeply golden. Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Sauté the shrimp.
Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Season the shrimp lightly with salt and pepper and sauté for about 1–2 minutes per side, just until pink and nearly cooked through. Transfer to the plate with the scallops. Avoid overcooking—they'll finish in the sauce.
4. Cook the vegetables.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the mushrooms. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until browned and tender. Add the artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Build the garlic sauce.
Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the white wine and scrape up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until reduced by about half.
6. Make it creamy.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream. Gently simmer for 3–4 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the Parmesan a little at a time, stirring until melted and smooth.
7. Toss everything together.
Add the drained penne to the skillet and toss thoroughly with the garlic cream sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce that coats the pasta.
Gently return the shrimp and scallops to the skillet along with any juices from the plate. Toss carefully and cook for only 1–2 minutes, just until the seafood is heated through.
8. Finish and serve.
Add the lemon juice and fresh parsley. Taste and adjust with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve immediately topped generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a little parsley, and cracked black pepper.
Make It Even Better
A teaspoon or two of the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar added when sautéing the mushrooms gives the entire dish another layer of flavor. For a more pronounced Italian flavor, add fresh basil at the end.
Let's add an Old Barrel Spices twist, an Italian herb blend, garlic-pepper blend, or Aleppo pepper would fit this dish especially well without overpowering the scallops and shrimp.