How to Make Limone Linguini Allo Scoglio (Lemon Linguini with Seafood)

Have you ever dreamt of visiting the sunny South of Italy? So have I. Although teleportation has still not been invented yet, this Limone Linguine Allo Scoglio (Lemon Linguine with Seafood) recipe is the closest you’re gonna get. The pasta’s citrus aroma will transport you straight to Southern Italy. Combined with the saltiness of the seafood, the delicate flavor of the Lemon Linguini is effortlessly complimented. Here I will share with you how to prepare your Limone Linguine Allo Scoglio. 

Ingredients (serving size is 4 servings)

• 350 g (12 oz) of lemon linguini

• 1 kg (2 pound) of clams with shells

• 1 kg (2 pound) of mussels with shells

• 300 grams (2/3 pound) of squid

• 300 g (2/3 pound) of shrimps

• 200 g (1/2 pound) of ripe cherry tomatoes

• 1 fresh hot chilli pepper

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 

• 150 ml (1/2 cup ) of dry white wine

• a bunch (1/3 cup) of fresh parsley

• salt to taste

Cooking Instructions

Cleaning the clams

1. Rinse clams under running water and then let them soak in plenty of cold water with a handful of coarse salt.
1. The clams should remain in the cold water for at least an hour, preferably two, to purge. Keep this time in mind when you decide to make this recipe.
2. Place the clams in a pan and cook over high heat covered with a lid. Wait for them to open, this will take about 3 minutes.
3.  Now strain the clam sauce with a fine strainer but DO NOT throw away their water, keep it aside.
4. Finally, shell the clams, keeping some clams with their shells that you will use for the final decoration of the dish.

Cleaning the Muscles

1. Clean the mussels by scraping off any impurities with the blade of a small knife. Tear off the byssus, that is the bearded part that comes out of the shell. Then, with the help of a stainless steel sponge, clean their shells well.
2. Place the mussels in a pan and cook over high heat covered with a lid. Wait for them to open, this will take about 3 minutes.
3. We prefer to cook clams and mussels separately in case the clams release a lot of sand.
4. Now strain the mussels sauce with a fine strainer. Finally, shell the mussels, keeping some of them with their shells: you will use them for the final decoration of the dish.

Cleaning the Squid

1. Wash the squid under running water, then remove the entrails, the eyes, the central beak and the internal bone.
2. Finally remove the skin and cut them into rings. Set aside.

Cleaning the Shrimp

1. Clean the shrimps, taking care to remove the dark filament, all the shell and the heads. Set aside

Preparing the Sauce

1. Wash and chop the cherry tomatoes then chop the parsley. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, sauté the peeled garlic cloves in the extra virgin olive oil. Add the red hot chili pepper and the squid. Cook for about 2 minutes over medium heat.
3. Then raise the heat and add the white wine. Stir and allow the alcohol to evaporate. Finally add the mussels and clams and lower the heat
4. Add a ladle of clams water and then the chopped tomatoes. Mix and cook over high heat for about 10 minutes
5. Finally, add the shrimp and chopped parsley. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes (shrimp have very short cooking times).
6. Italian seafood sauce is ready. Remove the garlic cloves and chili pepper
1. We chose to leave the garlic and hot chili pepper whole. This way you can easily remove them from the sauce. If you prefer, though, you can chop them up and leave them in the sauce, depending on your taste
7. Now cook the pasta. Bring plenty of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to the cooking times described on their packaging. Using a slotted spoon, drain the spaghetti 3 minutes before the end of cooking time.
8. Place them directly in the pan with the seafood sauce. Stir and finish cooking the spaghetti in the pan for another 3 minutes over high heat. This way they will better absorb the flavor of the seafood sauce.
9. Stir well and transfer the best Spaghetti allo Scoglio you have ever eaten to a serving dish. Garnish with the shells kept aside and serve.