Spaghetti en Papillote

"En papillote" is a technique in which food is placed into a folded pouch (most often made of parchment paper) then baked. The dish is then served in its parcel, and the drama that comes with unwrapping it and getting a rush of all the aromatics is ridiculously fun. 

While this cooking method is a popular and surprisingly easy way to infuse a ton of flavor into fish, it's not so common with pasta. Nevertheless, when we came across the idea of spaghetti en papillote on Pinterest (Chef Marc Vetri has a recipe for Spaghetti in Parchment with Clams and Scallions), we needed to test it ourselves. Should pasta be baked? Outside of a casserole (like baked ziti or lasagna), the idea felt crazy. But after cooking it once, we say: YES. 

When you essentially steam al dente spaghetti in the oven together with sauce and fresh seafood, the pasta is infused with flavor in a way that just doesn't happen when you simply toss everything together. Give it a try and you'll see.