Pesto Gets a Bright Lift

Developed by Matt Harding, SVP of culinary and menu innovation, Piada Italian Street Food, the Al Bronzo Mezzi Rigatoni With Scallops and Lemon-Celery Pesto offers a fresh take on one of Italy’s most iconic sauces. Pairing a delicate scallop with pesto requires restraint, and this version finds just the right balance. Inspired by a pesto from the iconic Nancy Silverton, Harding says the combination is “light, fresh and bright,” qualities that are “perfect with a good scallop.”

The pasta plays an equally important role. “The short, hollow shape and the ridges of the Al Bronzo Mezzi Rigatoni all work to embrace the umami-rich seafood broth and pesto, especially with a little pasta water binding it all together,” says Harding. “The rough surface from the bronze die process amplifies the effect, coating each bite and making it feel smooth and creamy without any extra fat that would mask the flavor of the fresh seafood.”