House Made Bucatini Recipe

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons coarse salt. Add 12 oz bucatini and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.

Pat shrimp and cuttlefish dry with paper towels. Season both with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a large wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When shimmering, add the shrimp in a single layer and sear 30–45 seconds per side until just pink. Remove shrimp to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, add a small knob (about 1 tbs) of butter if the pan is dry. Add cuttlefish rings and sauté 1–2 minutes until opaque and just tender. Avoid overcooking. Remove with the shrimp to the plate and keep warm.

Sweat aromatics

Lower heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the minced shallot to the skillet. Cook 1–2 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze & reduce

Pour in 1 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce the wine by about half (4–6 minutes) so it becomes slightly syrupy.

Finish the emulsion

Reduce heat to low. Whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, a few tablespoons at a time, allowing each to melt and emulsify into the reduced wine. If you prefer a silkier sauce, whisk in 2 tablespoons heavy cream now. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Return the shrimp and cuttlefish to the skillet along with any accumulated juices. Toss to coat and warm through for 30–60 seconds.

Add the drained bucatini to the skillet. Toss vigorously, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta (use up to the reserved 1 cup as needed). Continue tossing until the sauce coats the bucatini in a glossy emulsion, about 1–2 minutes.

Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley and 1 tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano. Adjust acidity with more lemon juice if desired and correct salt and pepper.

Divide bucatini and seafood among 2–3 warmed plates. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle additional parsley or microgreens if using, and finish with an optional extra grating of cheese and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Serve immediately while hot.