Italian Seafood Pasta is a classic Italian pasta recipe made with scialatielli, clams, mussels, calamari, and prawns. The simple flavors of this dish make a big impact, and will delight any seafood lover!
There’s something about Italian seafood pasta that transports me to another world, another place. For me, it must be memories of my mother’s hometown of Sperlonga, a quaint Italian seaside village. Here, treasures of the sea were turned into treasured family recipes at the hands of my aunt and Nonna.
Even now, thinking of these ingredients, reminds me of the beauty of the sea, and the days when I’m in Sperlonga, where I walk to the marina, take in the rolling waves, only to watch the fishermen preparing their boats for the day’s journey.
Indeed, Scialatielli allo scoglio always takes me to that special place, and this combination of pasta with fresh seafood truly embodies those simpler days in a fishing village, brought to life on a plate.
The Origins of Scialiatielli allo Scoglio
Scialatielli allo scoglio is a classic Italian seafood dish, originating along the coastal regions of Italy. Here, locals would make use of the bounties of the sea such as prawns, calamari, mussels, and clams. It is a traditional Italian seafood pasta, and a close cousin to Spaghetti Alle Vongole.
Scialiatelli is a pasta from the Campania region of Italy, on the Amalfi coast. Its shape is short, rectangular, with curves, and can resemble “messy” or “unkempt” hair, which may be one explanation for the name “Scialiatielli”.
Scoglio means “rock”, and is likely a reference to the seafood attached to the rocks of the Mediterranean sea. Or, others suggest the shells of the clams and mussels look like “rocks” or stones once mixed with the pasta. Other theories include that fishermen would throw a “scoglio” into a boiling pot of water, and then use in their pasta whatever sea creatures cooked in the pot!
The broth from the juice of the clams and mussels, combined with the cherry tomatoes, delivers a slightly sweet, and aromatic sauce. This really brings forward the flavors of the seafood. The final product is a fresh, simple, and delicate pasta dish, which will be certain to please the senses.
Why You Should Make Italian Seafood Pasta
- It’s a classic recipe – Making Italian seafood pasta is an opportunity to make a traditional Italian recipe. And, you’ll experience a day in the life of a coastal Italian using the “catch of the day”.
- Enjoy the freshness – Working with these ingredients, you’ll appreciate the seafood’s freshness, creating an elegant dish all in the moment, rather than waiting hours.
- The dish is delicious – The final product is a fresh, simple, and delicate pasta dish, full of rich, briny, flavors from the sea. It is certain to please the senses. And, if you’re anything like me, it will really transport you to the Italian seaside.
Ingredients
- Scialatielli – This pasta originates off the Amalfi coast, is fun, and pairs well with the seafood.
- Seafood – The clams, mussels, prawns, and calamari give the dish a nice, briny, sweet, and salty flavor This type of seafood is on the sweeter side, hence the name “frutti di mare”.
- Garlic – The garlic adds an extra enhancing flavor.
- Tomatoes and white wine – These items help heighten the fragrance of the seafood, but also bring some acidity to counter its sweetness.
- Parsley – balances out the dish, and adds a further touch of freshness.
Pasta to use
This dish, obviously, calls for Scialatielli pasta to be used, but if you’re unable to locate or just don’t have any available, spaghetti or linguine will do just fine. Scialatielli is a short, rectangular, pasta shape, and can look like “messy” or “unkempt” hair.
“Indeed, Scialatielli allo scoglio always takes me to that special place, and this combination of pasta with fresh seafood truly embodies those simpler days in a fishing village, brought to life on a plate.“
How to make Italian Seafood Pasta – Step by Step
Place the mussels and clams in a pan. Cover with a lid. Over medium heat, let the clams and mussels open. Take juice from clams and mussels, and set aside for later. (Photos 1 and 2)
Heat olive oil in pan, and place in garlic cloves, then add calamari. Add in white wine and let alcohol evaporate. (Photos 3 and 4)
Add cherry tomatoes, then prawns, until prawns are cooked through. (Photos 5 and 6)
Add in pasta, along with one ladle of clam and mussel juice, mixing until a sauce forms. (Photo 7) Add in mussels and clams, and top with mussels and clams still in their shells. (Photos 8 and 9) Serve, and enjoy your Italian seafood pasta!
Storage
This pasta is best eaten as soon as it is made, but if there are leftovers, you can store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to three days. To reheat, place in a pan and heat over medium heat on stove.
Top Tips
- For this dish, freshness is key. When handling seafood, it is best to get fresh from your local fish market, and use the same day.
- If fresh is not practical, frozen fresh options would be a fine alternative. Try to avoid canned clams or mussels, as they won’t have the same flavor, as fresh ones.
- There is no need add parmesan cheese to this dish at the end – generally, Italian seafood pasta dishes do not contain cheese of any kind. This allows for the flavors of the seafood to truly enjoyed.
FAQs
Scialatielli are a type of pasta from Campania, a region in Italy, famous for the Amalfi coast. It is a short, rectangular shaped pasta.
There are a few theories. One is that scialatielli means messy, and that the shape of the pasta resembles messy or unkempt hair. Another theory, from La Cucina Italiana, is that scialatielli comes from the Neapolitan word sciglià meaning, “to ruffle”.
Yes! Because of their access to coastal waters, Italians use seafood for many of their pasta dishes.
More Italian Seafood Pasta Recipes
- Tuna Spaghetti | Work From Home Lunch Series
- Italian Pasta With Anchovies
- Clam Pasta (Spaghetti Alle Vongole)
If you’ve tried making this Italian seafood pasta, or any other recipe on the blog please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and TIKTOK to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.
Italian Seafood Pasta (Scialatielli Allo Scoglio)
Italian Seafood Pasta is a classic Italian pasta recipe made with scialatielli, clams, mussels, calamari, and prawns. The simple flavors of this dish make a big impact, and will delight any seafood lover!
Ingredients
- 300 grams fresh mussels purged of sand
- 300 grams fresh clams purged of sand
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 100 grams calamari rings
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 15 cherry tomatoes
- 8 fresh prawns peeled and deveined
- 200 grams scialatielli pasta spaghetti or linguine will also work
- fresh parsley minced
- salt to taste
Instructions
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Place the mussels and clams in a pan. Cover with a lid. Over medium heat, let the clams and mussels open (about 7-10 minutes)
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The mussels and clams will have released their juices. Strain this juice and set it aside. Remove most of the clams and mussels from their shells. Keep a few in their shells for garnish.
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Bring a pot of water to a boil. You will be cooking the pasta and making the sauce simultaneously. Add salt to the boiling pasta water and drop the pasta in about 8 minutes before the sauce is done. Cook until it's before al dente (about 2-3 minutes before it's done cooking, remove it from the pot and place it into the sauce – the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce)
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In a pan, over medium heat, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil. Add the whole garlic cloves, season with salt and sauté until fragrant. Add the calamari rings. Cook for 5 minutes.
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Add the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate off.
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Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
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Add the prawns to the pan and cook until cooked through on both sides, about 5 minutes.
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Add the pasta to the pan, along with about one ladle of the clam and mussel juice and mix. Add more clam/mussel juice if needed. Mix the pasta with tongs, a sauce should start to form at the bottom of the pan.
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Remove the garlic cloves.
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Add the mussels and clams to the pasta, along with the parsley and mix.
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Plate, and top with the mussels and clams that are still in their shell.
Recipe Notes
- There is no need add parmesan cheese to this dish at the end – generally, Italian seafood pasta dishes do not contain cheese of any kind. This allows for the flavors of the seafood to truly enjoyed.
- For this dish, freshness is key. When handling seafood, it is best to get fresh from your local fish market, and use the same day.
-
If fresh is not practical, frozen fresh options would be a fine alternative. Try to avoid canned clams or mussels, as they won’t have the same flavor, as fresh ones.
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