Frutti de Mare Tonnarelli Recipe

Bring 4 liters of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons coarse salt.

Add 12 oz black tonnarelli and cook until al dente according to package instructions (usually 7–9 minutes for fresh, 9–11 minutes for dried). Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and toss immediately with 1 teaspoon olive oil to prevent sticking. Keep warm.

Pat all seafood dry with paper towels. Lightly season shrimp, calamari, mussels and scallops with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper total; reserve a pinch of salt for sauce adjustments.

Dust the scallops lightly on both sides with 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, shaking off excess. This helps develop a golden crust.

Sear Scallops

Heat a large stainless-steel or cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil and swirl to coat. Place scallops in the pan spaced apart; do not overcrowd. Sear without moving 1.5–2 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms, then flip and sear the other side 1–1.5 minutes until opaque through the center. Remove scallops to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

In the same skillet (wipe out if there are burnt bits), add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and sear 1 minute per side until just opaque; remove and keep warm.

Add calamari rings and tentacles to the skillet and sauté 1–2 minutes until just cooked through and slightly firm. Remove and set aside with shrimp.

For mussels: in a medium saucepan, combine mussels with 1/4 cup of the white wine and steam covered over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes until shells open. Discard any mussels that do not open. Reserve mussel cooking liquid and set mussels aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Add the minced shallot and cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned.

Add the sliced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not burn garlic).

Pour in 3 fl oz dry white wine and 1/2 cup clam juice (or seafood stock). Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase heat to medium-high and reduce the liquid by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Lower heat to medium and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter a tablespoon at a time (or add cold butter cubes and swirl) until the sauce is glossy and emulsified. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

If sauce is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons reserved mussel cooking liquid or pasta water to reach a silky consistency. Keep the sauce warm but do not simmer aggressively after butter is emulsified.

Add the cooked tonnarelli to the sauce pan and toss gently to coat, adding up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water as needed to loosen and marry sauce to pasta (use just enough so the sauce clings to the noodles).

Return the sautéed shrimp and calamari to the pan along with the steamed mussels (discard any unopened). Toss gently with the pasta for 30–45 seconds to warm the seafood through without overcooking.

Nestle the seared scallops on top of the pasta. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes over the dish. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to warmed serving plates. Finish with a squeeze of lemon from wedges, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if desired, and garnish with microgreens or extra parsley.

Serve immediately.