spaghetti con frutti di mare
seafood with spaghetti
The food that comes to mind when I think of a summer day with sun kissed skin from swimming in the salty sea, is ‘spaghetti con frutti di mare’! It conjures memories of sitting by the water’s edge in Lipari (the largest of the Aeolian Islands north of Sicily) eating something very similar! I hope this recipe takes you away as it does me!
My hubby, Ben, and I (and our 10 year old daughter Freya) unanimously agree that this is one of our favourite dishes! One plate combining two ingredients we love dearly; seafood and pasta! Heaven! In fact, if I was asked to name my dessert island dish (or even better; my death-row dish), it would be seafood and pasta! Either ‘Spaghetti alle Vongole’ or this ‘Spaghetti con Frutti di Mare’!
fresh prepared seafood
This is a wonderful dish to commence proceedings on Christmas day! In fact, we cooked this meal for our entree at one of my recent ‘Italian Christmas Lunch’ cooking classes here at The Village Cooks! The only difference; we handmade strozzapretti pasta instead of serving with spaghetti! Both pastas work extremely well with seafood, however, if you are short of time, store bought (good quality) spaghetti will do the trick!
Picture taken by Cortney Apro from PowderPuff Photography
Delicious snapped by Georgia Sealey
In addition, you can change up the seafood mix! I have in this particular recipe for you today a mix of prawns, mussels, clams, and scallops, however, you can substitute and/or add whatever seafood you like; squid, white fish, bugs, lobster, and so on. Just remember to consider the required cooking times for each one before serving it at the end with the pasta. For example; squid requires a little more cooking time then fish, so commence it’s heating process first! But one thing you must not change or leave out; the scallop with ‘nduja butter. This is to die for and you must absolutely include it in this dish (it is a winner!!!). ‘Nduja is a spicy Calabrese spreadable salami.
Here is little old me, with a little video demonstration of this recipe.
Buon appetito!
Save RecipeIngredients
Spaghetti (number 5) 300g
2 tblsp olive oil
2 eschalots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
700g to 1kg mixed seafood (prawns, clams or pipis, mussels, scallops)
250ml or 1 cup dry white wine
300g fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tblsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Seasoning - sea salt and cracked black pepper
Method
- Bring a large saucepan of salty water to the boil.
- Cook spaghetti (number 5) for 9 minutes or until cooked al dente. Drain the pasta into pan with sauce - ensure to reserve some of the pasta water.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over very high heat. Cook off each seafood first; start with prawns. Cook on each side for 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and onto plate.
- Then add another dash of olive oil and add eschalots with a pinch of sea salt. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until translucent. Add in the tomatoes and allow to simmer till they begin to break down. Now add in the garlic and stir through. Drop in the mussels & clams & the white wine and stir through. Place on the lid to allow mussels & clams to open – about 2 to 3 minutes.
- It’s now time to add back in the prawns and add in the parsley. Toss to stir through.
- Now add in the cooked pasta, toss to mix altogether.
- Serve on individual plates with grilled ‘nduja butter scallops.
- Serve with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a sprinkle of parsley.
