Frutti di Mare (Seafood Linguine in Tomato-Wine Broth)

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A trattoria-style tangle of linguine and shellfish in a garlicky tomato and white wine broth. The trick is timing: clams and mussels go in first to open and lend their liquor, then squid, then shrimp and scallops at the very end, so nothing turns rubbery. Frozen mixed shellfish and a bag of shell-on shrimp make a $30 restaurant plate a weeknight-possible one.

Ingredients

• 1 lb littleneck clams, scrubbed (or 12 oz frozen half-shell clams)
• 1 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 8 oz cleaned squid, bodies sliced into 1/3-inch rings, tentacles halved
• 12 oz large shrimp (26/30), peeled and deveined, tails on
• 8 oz dry-packed sea scallops, side muscle removed, halved horizontally if very thick

• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Vermentino)
• 1 28-oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices reserved
• 1 cup bottled clam juice or seafood stock
• 1 sprig fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp dried)
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 1 lb linguine
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, half juiced and half cut into wedges
• 4 thick slices rustic bread, for grilling (optional)

Instructions

1. If using frozen seafood, thaw it the right way: set the sealed bags in a bowl of cold water for 20–30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge. Drain everything thoroughly and blot the shrimp, scallops, and squid very dry with paper towels — surface water is what turns this dish watery instead of brothy.
2. Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and salt it with 3 tablespoons kosher salt. Don't cook the pasta yet.
3. Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a wide 6- to 7-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic, shallot, and red pepper flakes and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and just barely golden at the edges. Do not let it brown or the broth will taste bitter.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 60–90 seconds until it darkens to brick red. Pour in the white wine, raise the heat to medium-high, and simmer 4–5 minutes until the raw alcohol smell is gone and the liquid has reduced by about a third.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes with their juices, the clam juice, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth has thickened slightly and tastes round rather than sharp. Taste and adjust salt now — once the shellfish go in, the liquor they release will season it further.
6. Drop the linguine into the boiling water and set a timer for 2 minutes less than the package's al dente time. While it cooks, start the seafood.
7. Stage 1 — clams (about 6 minutes): raise the broth to a strong simmer, add the clams, cover, and cook 5–6 minutes until they begin to open.
8. Stage 2 — mussels (about 4 minutes): add the mussels, cover again, and cook 3–4 minutes until they gape open. Discard any clam or mussel that stays shut. If you're using frozen half-shell clams and mussels, they only need 2–3 minutes total, so add them together at this point.
9. Stage 3 — squid (about 90 seconds): stir in the squid rings and cook just 60–90 seconds. Squid gets tender in under 2 minutes or after 40 minutes of braising — you want the first window.
10. Stage 4 — shrimp and scallops (about 3 minutes): scatter the shrimp and scallops over the surface in a single layer, cover, and cook 2–3 minutes off a bare simmer, until the shrimp are pink and opaque and the scallops are just firm and barely translucent at the center. Kill the heat immediately.
11. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Using tongs, lift most of the shellfish into a large bowl and set aside. Add the drained linguine to the broth in the pot, return to medium heat, and toss for 1–2 minutes until the pasta finishes cooking and drinks up some broth; splash in pasta water as needed to keep it loose and saucy.
12. Off the heat, swirl in the butter, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the juice of half the lemon, and 3 tablespoons parsley. Return all the seafood to the pot and fold gently just to warm through, about 30 seconds.
13. Divide among 4 wide, warmed bowls, making sure everyone gets clams, mussels, shrimp, and scallops on top. Shower with the remaining parsley and serve with lemon wedges and grilled bread for the broth.
14. (Optional, 5 minutes) For the bread: brush the slices with olive oil and grill or broil 1–2 minutes per side until charred at the edges, then rub with a raw garlic clove.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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