Frutti Di Mare Tagliatelle Recipe

Bring water to a boil

Fill a large pot with about 4 quarts (4 L) of water and bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon fine sea salt.

Cook tagliatelle

Add fresh tagliatelle and cook until al dente, typically 2–3 minutes for fresh pasta. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. Drain pasta and toss lightly with 1 teaspoon olive oil to prevent sticking; set aside.

Prep seafood

Pat all seafood dry with paper towels. Keep mussels and clams refrigerated until ready; discard any that do not close when tapped. Season shrimp and scallops lightly with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper.

Cook mussels and clams

In a large wide sauté pan or shallow pot with a lid, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half the garlic (1 clove sliced) and the shallot; sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the mussels and clams and pour in 2 fl oz of the white wine and 1/2 cup fish stock. Cover and steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking pan once, until shells open. Remove opened shellfish to a bowl and set aside; discard any unopened shells. Reserve the cooking liquid in the pan.

Cook shrimp, scallops and calamari

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the same pan with the reserved cooking liquid. Add remaining sliced garlic and the red pepper flakes; sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp and scallops; cook 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and lightly golden. Add calamari rings and cook 30–60 seconds until just cooked through (do not overcook). Remove these seared seafood to the bowl with mussels and clams to keep warm.

Build sauce

With pan over medium heat, add the halved cherry tomatoes and tomato paste to the pan juices. Stir and cook 1–2 minutes until tomatoes begin to soften. Pour remaining 1 fl oz white wine and 1/2 cup fish stock into the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce 2–3 minutes to concentrate flavor.

Combine pasta and seafood

Return all seafood and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the drained tagliatelle and toss gently to combine. If the sauce feels tight, add reserved pasta water 1/4 cup at a time (up to 1/2 cup) until you reach a glossy, silky consistency that coats the pasta.

Finish

Stir in 1 tablespoon butter, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and torn basil (if using). Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Toss to coat and let everything heat together for 30–60 seconds so flavors marry.

Serve

Divide tagliatelle frutti di mare among warmed plates or a large serving platter. Spoon any extra sauce and shellfish on top. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of parsley and a light grind of black pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges at the table.