Seafood Recipe

Make the dough

On a clean countertop or in a large bowl, combine 2.5 cups all-purpose flour and 0.5 cup semolina flour, and make a well in the center. Crack 3 large eggs into the well, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Using a fork, gently whisk eggs and gradually incorporate flour from the sides until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead

Knead the dough by hand for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If dough is too dry, add up to 2 tablespoons water; if too sticky, dust with a little flour. Form into a ball.

Rest

Wrap dough in plastic wrap or cover with a bowl and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.

Roll and cut

Divide dough into 3 pieces. Flatten one piece and pass through a pasta machine or roll with a pin to desired thickness (for tagliatelle/linguine, roll to about 1–2 mm). Dust with flour and cut into long ribbons about 6–8 mm wide. Repeat with remaining dough. Toss cut pasta lightly with semolina or flour to prevent sticking and set aside on a floured tray.

Cook fresh pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fresh pasta cooks quickly: blanch for 2–3 minutes until al dente (timing will also depend on pasta thickness). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining. Do not overcook.

Prepare seafood

While dough rests, rinse mussels under cold water, discard any open mussels that do not close when tapped. Pat squid dry and slice bodies into rings; keep tentacles. Peel and devein shrimp, pat dry.

Sweat aromatics

In a large wide sauté pan or shallow Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 large chopped shallot and 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté until softened and translucent, about 2–3 minutes, taking care not to brown the garlic. Add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds to bloom.

Tomatoes

Add 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to soften and release juices, about 4–5 minutes. Lightly smash some tomatoes with the back of a spoon to build sauce.

Deglaze and make broth

Increase heat to medium-high and add 3 tablespoons dry white wine. Scrape up any browned bits and let wine reduce by half (about 1–2 minutes). Add 1/2 cup fish or seafood stock and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook mussels

Add the mussels to the simmering tomato-broth, cover with a lid, and steam until mussels open, 4–6 minutes. Remove mussels as they open and set aside in a bowl; discard any mussels that remain closed after cooking. Keep the cooking liquid in the pan — this is concentrated seafood broth.

Cook squid and shrimp

Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Add squid rings and tentacles and cook over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes until just opaque and beginning to curl. Add shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes more until shrimp turn pink and opaque. Do not overcook seafood — total for squid and shrimp should be 2–4 minutes.

Finish sauce

Return the cooked mussels (in their shells) to the pan. Add zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice as needed.

Combine with pasta

Add the drained fresh pasta to the skillet with the seafood and sauce. Toss gently over medium heat for 30–60 seconds, adding reserved pasta cooking water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to loosen and coat the pasta (use up to 1/2 cup). Add 1 tablespoon butter if desired for silkiness.

Plate

Divide pasta among warm plates or a large serving bowl. Arrange mussels attractively on top. Sprinkle with additional chopped parsley, a light drizzle (1 teaspoon) of extra virgin olive oil, and 1/4 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan if using. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

If you prefer, finish each portion with a final grind of black pepper and an extra squeeze of lemon. Leftover sauce can be strained and reduced to concentrate flavors and served over additional pasta.