The Italian maritime culinary tradition boasts numerous significant recipes, both regional and beyond. However, in most restaurants, one first course is almost always present: spaghetti allo scoglio. Why not try making it at home then? A concentrate of Mediterranean aromas in a pasta recipe perfect for celebrating Christmas Eve.
A Dish Steeped in History
The combination of sauce with seafood, crustaceans and molluscs is truly exquisite. This is a dish that was particularly popular in the 80s and 90s. Before telling you what kind of pasta to use when preparing scoglio, a little road. Do you know why it is called scoglio? It was named so because originally it was prepared with actual pieces of rock fried in a pot, from which the surviving "small sea animals" detached themselves. The result was nothing short of excellent: a dish containing just a few ingredients tasted of the sea. And it is precisely from the simplicity and freedom of this dish that all possible and imaginable variations were born, since there is no real rule on which seafood to use.
Variations and Ingredients
Numerous versions of spaghetti allo scoglio exist. The recipe described here includes clams, mussels, and prawns. The spaghetti are "risottati" (cooked like risotto) in the pan to absorb all the flavor of the sea. The spaghetti allo scoglio can be red, if the sauce also contains tomatoes (fresh or canned), or white, when only a little parsley is added to the seafood.
Here's a breakdown of common ingredients:
- Pasta: Long pasta is generally preferred. Spaghetti, linguine, and bavette are the most popular choices.
- Seafood: The dish features a mix of mussels, clams, squid, and shrimp. Scampi are often added.
- Aromatics: Garlic, parsley, chili pepper, and white wine are used to flavor the dish.
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are added for freshness and sweetness.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is essential for sautéing and adding richness.
Preparing the Seafood: A Crucial Step
The "conditio sine qua non" for the perfect success of this dish is one and only one: the fish must inexorably be as fresh as possible!
Leggi anche: Sapori Mediterranei in un piatto di pasta
The preparation of the seafood is a crucial step. To prepare the spaghetti allo scoglio, first, dedicate yourself to cleaning the fish: put the clams to purge in cold water with a handful of coarse salt for a couple of hours, clean the mussels with a steel sponge from encrustations and remove the bisso, remove the skin from the squid, remove the entrails and the pen then remove the tooth from the tentacles and separate them from the head.
- Clams and Mussels: Clean the mussels and clams by rinsing them several times under running water. Soak the clams in cold water. Scrub the mussels with a small knife to remove impurities. Pull out the beard (byssus) from the mussels. Discard any clams that are open or broken. Before cooking, beat the clams one by one on a cutting board or in the sink with the cut of the shell facing down: if sand comes out, it should be discarded.
- Squid: Cut the squid into strips. Remove the skin from the squid, remove the entrails and the pen, then remove the tooth from the tentacles and separate them from the head. Cut the squid sacs into rings and leave the tentacles whole.
- Scampi/Prawns: Cut along the sides of the tail with scissors to remove the shell covering the abdomen. Remove the black thread (intestine) with a toothpick to prevent a bitter taste. Leave the head and pincers attached.
- Tomato Preparation: Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them into segments.
The Cooking Process: Layering Flavors
The cooking process involves several steps to build a complex and flavorful sauce:
- Sauté Aromatics: Brown a clove of garlic in olive oil.
- Cook Squid: Add the squid and a pinch of salt.
- Deglaze: Let the alcohol evaporate and remove the garlic.
- Add Tomatoes: Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add Scampi: Add the scampi, salt, and pepper.
- Combine Seafood: At the end of cooking, add the mussels and clams.
- Season: Season with chopped parsley.
- Cook the pasta: In a pan, heat a little evo oil with the last clove of garlic cut in half, then add the washed and halved tomatoes and sauté them over high heat for 10 minutes until they caramelize. Do not mix them to prevent them from breaking, but sauté them by moving the pan with decisive gestures. Add salt and pepper, first add the squid, after 2 minutes the prawns and after another 2 minutes the shelled mussels and clams. In another large pan, put the spaghetti lying down and immediately after the hot liquids of mussels and clams, so that they remain completely immersed. Start moving the spaghetti with kitchen tongs and continue cooking them adding more liquid little by little until they are cooked al dente. Finally, add the sauce to the pan and sauté everything together for a minute to mix the pasta.
Detailed Steps:
- Prepare Cozze and Vongole: After allowing the mussels and clams to release sand and impurities in separate bowls filled with slightly salted water (it would be appropriate to change the water several times), clean, scrape, and remove the byssus from the mussels, which should be opened in a pan over the heat and set aside for the duration.
- Prepare Gamberi and Molluschi: The shrimp and scampi should be left whole (as the traditional recipe dictates), while it is advisable to clean the molluscs and cut them into rounds.
- Sauté Molluschi: In a hot aluminum pan, briefly sear the molluscs and set them aside on a plate covered with film.
- Flavor the Oil: In the same pan, add garlic in its skin, oil, and a few sprigs of parsley.
- Cook Vongole: Brown the garlic with the sprigs and remove everything; add the clams, deglaze with white wine, and as soon as the clams open, remove them from the pan and set them aside in a covered saucepan (it is good practice to shell them).
- Prepare Pomodorini: At this point, move on to the cherry tomatoes, which should be previously nicked with a small knife, blanched for a few moments in salted water, and peeled.
Cooking the Pasta: "Risottata" Method
The secret to a perfect dish is to preserve the broth of the crustaceans and the cooking water of the molluscs. This adds flavor and creaminess to the pasta.
- Cook Pasta: Cook the spaghetti in abundant salted water until al dente. Pasta Rummo is particularly recommended for its exceptional cooking resistance.
- "Risottare" the Pasta: Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce. Continue cooking the spaghetti in the sauce, adding the cooking water from the seafood gradually, until the pasta is perfectly cooked and the sauce has thickened.
- Combine and Serve: Mix gently to combine the pasta and sauce. Garnish with a few mussels and clams in their shells. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Serving and Enjoying
Spaghetti allo scoglio is best served immediately, while the pasta is still hot and the seafood is tender.
Wine Pairing
This dish is best paired with a fragrant and flavorful white wine that complements the flavors of the Mediterranean.
Leggi anche: Frittata Napoletana di Spaghetti
Leggi anche: Ingredienti Spaghetti San Giuannid