Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
- 400 g linguine pasta, dry
Aromatics
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 g red pepper flakes
Sauce Base
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 800 g crushed san marzano tomatoes, canned, with juices
Seafood
- 300 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 300 g littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 250 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 200 g calamari, cleaned, sliced into rings, tentacles kept whole
Garnish
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 795 kcal
- Protein
- 53 g
- Carbohydrates
- 101 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 1463 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 239 mg
- Potassium
- 1398 mg
- Calcium
- 208 mg
- Iron
- 11.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 169 mg
- Phosphorus
- 825 mg
- Zinc
- 5.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 202 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 35 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 69 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 18.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.81 mg
- Niacin
- 11.0 mg
- Folate
- 293 mcg
- Water
- 253 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large stockpot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F over high heat.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large deep sauté pan over medium heat, add the thinly sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook until the garlic is fragrant and barely golden at the edges.
Pour the dry white wine into the pan to deglaze, scraping up any fond from the bottom, and reduce the liquid by half.
Stir the crushed San Marzano tomatoes into the pan, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer at around 85°C/185°F, and cook uncovered to concentrate the rich tomato flavor.
Submerge the linguine into the boiling water and cook until exactly one minute shy of the package instructions for al dente.
Increase the sauce heat to medium-high, nestle the scrubbed clams and mussels directly into the simmering sauce, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam until the shells pop open.
Remove the lid, discard closed shells, and gently fold the shrimp and calamari into the sauce, poaching until the seafood reaches an internal temperature of 63°C/145°F and turns opaque.
Transfer the cooked linguine directly from the boiling water to the seafood sauce using tongs, carrying over some starchy pasta water, and toss vigorously to coat the noodles evenly.
Divide the pasta and seafood evenly among warm bowls, scatter the freshly chopped parsley over the top, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Do not rinse your pasta under any circumstances. The residual surface starches are critical for binding the rich tomato and wine reduction to the linguine strands.
- Always practice strict cross-contamination protocols when handling mixed raw seafood. Use separate cutting boards and sanitize your hands after handling the shrimp and calamari.
- For the cleanest flavor, scrub clams under cold running water with a stiff brush and pull the beards from the mussels immediately before they go into the pan, ensuring they remain alive as long as possible.
- If your canned San Marzano tomatoes lean heavily toward the acidic side, balance the sauce by mounting a very small pinch of baking soda or a subtle touch of sugar during the simmer step.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store in an airtight container. Seafood texture degrades rapidly upon refrigeration.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water just until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Shrimp or calamari is chewy and rubbery
Cause: The delicate seafood was left in the hot tomato sauce for too long and overcooked
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Only add the shrimp and calamari during the absolute final two minutes of the cooking process
Clams or mussels remain tightly closed after steaming
Cause: The bivalves were dead prior to cooking and are unsafe for consumption
Fix: Discard immediately. Do not attempt to pry open or consume.
Prevention: Ensure bivalves are alive by tapping open shells before cooking; they should close. Purchase from reputable fishmongers.
Sauce is watery and does not cling to the pasta
Cause: Pasta was drained too thoroughly or not enough starch was present to emulsify the oil and tomato juices
Fix: Add an extra tablespoon of pasta water and simmer rapidly for 60 seconds while tossing continuously.
Prevention: Transfer pasta directly from the pot using tongs, and toss vigorously over heat to activate the starches.
Cultural Context
Linguine ai Frutti di Mare, closely related to Spaghetti allo Scoglio (meaning 'of the rock'), originates from the coastal regions of southern Italy, particularly Campania and Sicily. It is a historical celebration of the daily Mediterranean catch, born from necessity as fishermen would utilize the mixed, unsold rockfish and shellfish by braising them in an aromatic tomato and garlic broth.
