Linguine Spicy Meatball Frutti Di Mare Recipe

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tbsp salt. Add fresh egg linguine and cook until al dente (typically 2–4 minutes for fresh pasta). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to prevent sticking. Keep warm.

Prepare aromatics and tomatoes

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Finely dice the onion. Add onion and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly golden. Mince 4 cloves garlic and add for 30–60 seconds until fragrant (do not brown).

Simmer the sauce

Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize. Add the 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp piquin chile flakes (adjust to heat preference), 1 tsp sugar (optional), 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered 15–20 minutes to concentrate flavors, stirring occasionally.

Finish with basil

Chiffonade 1 cup packed fresh basil and stir into the sauce in the last 2 minutes of simmering. Keep the sauce warm on very low heat. Taste and adjust salt or chile as needed.

Soak crumbs

Place 1 cup Panko in a bowl and add 1/4 cup whole milk (note: ingredient listed as '1 4cup' is intended as 1/4 cup). Let soak 5 minutes until softened.

Mix meatball mixture

In a mixing bowl combine 12 oz ground beef and 4 oz ground pork with the soaked Panko, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (listed as 1 4cup), 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tsp ground or minced piquin chile, 3/4 tsp salt (listed as 3 4tsp), and 1 tsp black pepper. Mix gently by hand until just combined; avoid overworking.

Form and sear

Portion into 18–20 small meatballs (roughly 1 inch diameter). Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear meatballs in batches until browned on all sides but not cooked through, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer seared meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Finish in sauce

Nestle seared meatballs into the simmering marinara sauce. Cover and simmer gently 10–12 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature 160°F/71°C for beef/pork). Keep sauce with meatballs warm.

Prepare seafood

Pat scallops and shrimp dry with paper towel and season lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Ensure mussels are scrubbed and debearded, discarding any open mussels that don't close when tapped.

Cook mussels

In a wide sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of the white wine and bring to a simmer. Add mussels, cover, and steam 4–6 minutes until they open. Remove opened mussels to a bowl, discarding any still closed. Reserve the mussel cooking liquid and reduce by boiling briefly if you want a more concentrated flavor.

Sear scallops and shrimp

In the same pan, add remaining 1 tbsp butter and a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear scallops 1–2 minutes per side until golden and just opaque; remove and keep warm. Sear shrimp 1–2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through; remove and keep warm.

Deglaze and combine

Add remaining 1/2 cup white wine to the pan to deglaze, scraping any browned bits. Add a squeeze of half the lemon (about 1 tbsp juice). Stir in reserved mussel broth and, if desired, 1 tsp extra piquin or chili oil. Turn off heat.

Combine sauce, meatballs, seafood and pasta: Gently fold the drained linguine into the marinara with meatballs over low heat. Add some reserved pasta water, a little at a time, to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta (start with 1/2 cup and add more if needed).

Add the seafood: Arrange mussels, scallops, and shrimp on top of the pasta and spoon the deglaze/mussel-wine mixture over everything. Warm for 1–2 minutes just to marry flavors. Do not overcook the seafood.

Finish and garnish: Stir in 1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil ribbons and 2 tbsp butter to gloss the sauce if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot with grated Parmesan or Pecorino and an extra squeeze of lemon. Optionally drizzle with chili oil or sprinkle extra piquin flakes for more heat.