Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES 4-6 servings

- 1 Ib (500 g) Manila or other small clams or cockles, scrubbed
- 1 Ib (500 g) mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1/3 cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 cups (about 12 oz/375 g) cherry or grape tomatoes, stemmed and halved
- 1/2 Ib (250 g) cleaned squid, bodies cut into rings 1/2 inch (12 mm) wide and tentacles halved through the base
- 12 shrimp (prawns), peeled and deveined
- Sea salt
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) dry white wine
- 1 lb (500 g) spaghetti or linguine
- 2 tablespoons torn fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves

Neapolitan cooks use small, sweet tomatoes called ciliegini for this seafood pasta, believing that the bolder flavor of larger tomatoes would compete with the delicate taste of the seafood. The pasta can be made with just one or two varieties of seafood, increasing their amounts accordingly. Italians never serve grated cheese with seafood pasta. Toasted bread crumbs make a delicious, crunchy garnish that is perfect with seafood.

Place the clams and mussels in a large pot, discarding any that do not dose to the touch. Add 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) water, piace over medium heat, cover, and cook until the shells open, 3-5 minutes. Lift out the clams and mussels with a slotted spoon and piace in a large bowl, discarding any that fail to open.
Pour the liquid from the pot into a separate bowl. Remove the clams and mussels from their shells, discard the shells, and piace in a clean bowl. If they seem sandy, rinse them in their cooking liquid. Strain the liquid through a paper coffee filter or a fine-mesh sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth (muslin) into the bowl with the clams and mussels and set aside.

In a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they begin to collapse and release their juices, about 5 minutes. Stir in the squid and shrimp and season with salt. Pour in the wine and simmer until the squid and shrimp are nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the clams and mussels and their liquid and cook for 5 minutes longer to heat through and blend the flavors.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the spaghetti, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package directions. Scoop out and reserve about 2 ladlefuls of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Add the drained pasta to the sauce in the pan and stir and toss over low heat until well coated with the sauce, adjusting the consistency with some of the cooking water as needed. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve at once.

Buon appetito!