Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Italian Style
Is it any wonder that Cucina della Terra would choose some deliciously fresh shellfish to create an Irish recipe with an Italian accent? Una faccia, una razza,.” Or, “one face, one race,” which couldn’t be closer to the truth, when you’re considering the striking similarities between Ireland and Italy. The two “I” countries’ respective flags bear their kinship – Italy: three vertical stripes, green, white and red, and Ireland: three vertical stripes, green, white, and orange. But beyond that superficial symbol of national pride, both countries share a common religion, fighting spirit, and artistic flair. And now never have the twain met more than in my composed melting-pot of a dish.
Celebrate the green with a bowl of steaming Shellfish & Spinach Pasta, served with a crisp Greco di Tufo from Campania, recommended by one of our favorite wine shops in New York, De-Vino . Save the soda-bread for dessert!
spinach linguini with shellfish
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Ingredients
3/4 lb imported Italian spinach linguini
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 tablespoons parsley, minced
1 tablespoon chives, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 lb (about 12) baby clams in their shells, scrubbed
2/3 lb (about 24) mussels, scrubbed & debearded
12 ounces (about 6pc)scallops, mussels removed
Salt & pepper to taste
3/4 cup dry Italian white wine
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter (optional)
Procedure
Before beginning to cook the shellfish, have a large pot of salted boiling water ready to cook the pasta.
1. Soak the clams in a large bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. Scrub the clamshells. If any clams are open, tap them against the surface of the table. Repeat the soaking once more. If they continue to remain open discard them because they are dead.
2. Scrub the mussels and pull the bristly beard that may be protruding from the rim. If any mussels are open, tap them against the surface of the table. If they continue to remain open discard them because they are dead.
3. Pull off the thick rubbery mussel that sometimes remains on the side of each scallop. Discard. Cut the scallops in half crosswise, giving you a scallop about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Place a sauté pan large enough to accommodate the shellfish, over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and let the oil warm up for a few seconds. Add the red pepper.
5. Add the clams and mussels and season with salt & pepper. Sprinkle the minced garlic and parsley over the shellfish. Stir for a minute. Pour the wine into the pan and continue to stir for another minute. Cover the pan and cook until the shellfish start to open. As they open, remove them from the pan into a bowl. When all have opened, take the liquid remaining in the pan and pour it through a strainer lined with cheesecloth and placed over a clean bowl to capture the liquid. This will remove any sand.
6. Add a little more oil to the pan. When heated, sear the scallops for a minute until golden. Sprinkle salt and pepper over them. Remove to a plate.
7.When the water is boiling add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander.
8.While the pasta is cooking, return the mussels, clams and scallops to the pot along with the juices that were strained. Place the heat on medium high. Remove a cup of water from the pot in which the pasta is cooking and pour over the shellfish. Add a little more freshly minced parsley. Stir. Drain the pasta when it is cooked, shaking the colander up and down to remove excess water. Pour the pasta into the pot in which the shellfish was cooking or into a large bowl. Stir everything together and serve piping hot.






















