Scialatielli with Seafood

Ingredients

• 300 g Flour
• 2 Eggs
• 60 ml Milk
• 40 g Pecorino romano
• 8 leaves Basil
• 400 g Clams
• 400 g Mussels
• 250 g Prawns
• 250 g Calamari
• 250 g Cherry tomatoes
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 100 ml White wine
• 1 bunch Parsley
• 1 Chilli
• 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch Salt

Steps

1. Soak the clams in cold salted water for at least 1 hour to purge sand, changing the water once.
2. Scrub and de-beard the mussels under running water, discarding any that stay open.
3. Clean the calamari: remove the innards and quill, pull off the skin, rinse and cut the bodies into rings.
4. Peel and devein the prawns, leaving a few whole for garnish.
5. Make the pasta dough: combine flour, eggs, milk, grated pecorino, a pinch of salt and chopped basil.
6. Knead 10 minutes into a smooth firm dough, wrap and rest 30 minutes.
7. Roll the dough about 3 mm thick, then cut into strips roughly 1 cm wide and 8–10 cm long.
8. Dust with flour and set aside so they don't stick.
9. Heat a splash of oil with a crushed garlic clove, add the clams and mussels, cover and cook over high heat until they open.
10. Discard any that stay shut.
11. Strain and keep the liquid, shelling most of the shellfish.
12. In a large pan, gently warm the olive oil with the sliced garlic and a piece of fresh chilli.
13. Add the calamari rings and sauté 2 minutes.
14. Pour in the white wine and let it evaporate.
15. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and the strained shellfish liquid, then simmer 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
16. Add the prawns and cook 2 minutes.
17. Return the clams and mussels to the pan to warm through.
18. Meanwhile cook the scialatielli in abundant lightly salted boiling water for 4–5 minutes, until they float and are al dente.
19. Drain, saving a ladle of cooking water.
20. Toss the pasta in the seafood sauce over high heat for 1 minute, adding a little cooking water if needed.
21. Finish with chopped parsley, a drizzle of raw oil and the reserved whole prawns.
22. Serve immediately, without cheese.

Tips

• Never add grated cheese to a seafood pasta — it clashes with the delicate brine of the shellfish. Drain the scialatielli a minute early and finish cooking them in the sauce so they absorb the seafood flavour. If short on time, good-quality fresh scialatielli are sold in many shops.