Spaghetto Al Ragù Di Mare Recipe

Clean and dry seafood

Rinse mussels and clams under cold water; discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. Pat shrimp, calamari, and fish pieces dry with paper towels and set aside in a bowl in the refrigerator.

Open bivalves

In a large deep skillet or saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, add 2 tablespoons of water and place mussels and clams inside. Cover over medium-high heat until shells open (3–5 minutes). Remove opened shellfish with a slotted spoon into a bowl, discard any that remain closed. Reserve the cooking liquid by straining it through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a small bowl to remove grit; set aside.

Sauté aromatics

In a large wide sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until butter melts. Add the diced onion and fennel and sauté until translucent and soft, about 6–8 minutes. Stir occasionally so they do not brown. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until aromatic.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in 150 ml dry white wine to deglaze the pan. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until the wine reduces by about half, roughly 2–3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and simmer

Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 150 ml fish or vegetable stock, 1 teaspoon sugar (if using), and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes to meld flavors, stirring occasionally.

Finish sauce base

Taste and adjust seasoning with black pepper and additional salt if needed. Stir in half of the chopped parsley and half of the chiffonade basil. Keep sauce at a gentle simmer while you cook the pasta and finish the seafood.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook 400 g spaghetto according to package directions until just shy of al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than recommended), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve approximately 300 ml of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Add fish and calamari

Increase the sauce heat to medium. Gently add the white fish pieces and calamari rings to the simmering pomodoro sauce. Cook for 2–3 minutes until fish is beginning to cook through and calamari turns opaque.

Add shrimp

Add the peeled shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes until they turn pink and curl. Shrimp cook quickly—do not overcook.

Return bivalves and combine liquids

Add the cooked mussels and clams back to the pan (discard any shells that did not open earlier). Pour in the reserved mussel/clams cooking liquid and, if necessary, an additional 50–100 ml of the reserved pasta water or stock to bring the sauce to the desired consistency. Simmer gently 1–2 minutes so all seafood is heated through and flavors combine.

Combine pasta and sauce

Add drained spaghetto to the pan with the ragù. Toss gently with tongs or two forks to coat the pasta, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to create a silky emulsion and to reach the desired sauciness. Stir in the remaining parsley and basil, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil as a finish.

Adjust and plate

Taste and adjust for salt, pepper or lemon as desired. Serve immediately in warm shallow bowls, distributing the mixed seafood evenly. Offer extra chopped parsley and lemon wedges at the table.