Black Sea Seafood Pasta Recipe

Boil pasta

Bring 4 liters of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp coarse salt. Add 12 oz dried fettuccine and cook until very al dente (about 2 minutes less than package instructions), stirring occasionally so noodles don’t stick. Reserve 240 ml (about 1 cup) of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

Pat the prawns and calamari dry with paper towels. Check mussels and clams for any open shells; discard any that do not close when tapped. Keep seafood refrigerated until ready to cook.

If mussels or clams have heavy sand, soak them in cold salted water for 20 minutes, then rinse under cold running water.

Sweat aromatics

In a large wide sauté pan or shallow Dutch oven (big enough to hold pasta and seafood), heat 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat until butter melts. Add the finely diced medium onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and the optional chopped anchovy fillets; cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Deglaze

Increase heat to medium-high and pour in 120 ml dry white wine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and reduce wine by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Build tomato base

Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add 400 g crushed tomatoes and 120 ml tomato passata, then add 120 ml fish or low-sodium chicken stock. Stir to combine. Add 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tsp red chili flakes (adjust to taste). Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and let it cook, uncovered, for 8–10 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken.

Cook mussels and clams

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the cleaned mussels and clams to the simmering sauce, cover the pan tightly, and steam for 4–6 minutes until shells open. Stir once midway. Remove any shells that remain closed after 6 minutes and discard them. Using a slotted spoon, transfer opened mussels and clams to a bowl, leaving the cooking liquid in the pan.

Finish seafood

Reduce heat to medium. Add the calamari rings to the sauce and cook for 1–2 minutes — just until they become opaque. Add the king prawns and cook for 2–3 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Return the cooked mussels and clams (including juices that collected in the bowl) to the pan. If the sauce seems too thick, add up to 120–240 ml of the reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen it to desired consistency.

Taste the sauce and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the zest of 1 lemon and 1 tbsp lemon juice, and stir in 3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

Toss pasta with sauce

Add the drained, very al dente fettuccine to the pan with the sauce and seafood. Toss gently over medium heat for 1–2 minutes so the pasta finishes cooking and absorbs the sauce. If needed, add additional reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time to reach a silky sauce that clings to the noodles. Drizzle 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil and fold through.

Plate and garnish

Divide the pasta and seafood among 4 warmed plates or bowls. Spoon extra sauce and seafood on top. Sprinkle 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, add lemon wedges to the side, and serve immediately. Offer extra chili flakes and freshly ground black pepper at the table.