Traditional Christmas eve in Italy combines pasta with seafood.  My friend, Annabel Cohen, is forever wowing me with the recipes she comes up with. I wanted to quickly share her recipe and story, just in case it could help people plan out their holiday menu.  (as written by Annabel)

 

 

 

I’ve been on a fruti di mare kick for more than a month now.  Just thinking about it makes me want black mussels, tiny sweet clams and big, barely cooked shrimp and a spicy red sauce, over pasta of course.  Here’s the thing. I’m very impatient. Not a self-deprecation, it’s just the way it is. That means I don’t want to wait.  So, while I cook faster than the average bear, I still want it nearly now. Okay, now.  Lucky for me, shellfish loves hasty schedule, cooking to perfection within minutes. A good sauce takes a bit longer and pasta a whole 15 minutes, including bringing water to a boil.  I came up with this expeditious recipe that uses some of my favorite prepared ingredients.  I stop on my way home and buy fresh shellfish. I fill up a pot with cold water and start boiling. By the time my pasta is aldente, my fruit di mare is perfection and I’m whirling like a Dervish.  Here’s my speedy recipe.

Fruti di Mare Al Dente

2 cups Monique’s Marvelous Marinara Sauce

1 cup white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

12 black mussels

12 large (12-15 size) shrimp, shelled (tail intact) anddeveined

4 large scallops, halved

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

12 ounces Al Dente Egg Linguine

Combine sauce and wine in a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer.  When the pasta water has come to a boil, cook Al Dente pasta according to package directions (for just 3 minutes) until just al dente. When the pasta hits the water, add the mussels and clams to the sauce. Cover with a lid.  Drain the pasta, but do not rinse. Add the shrimp, scallops and parsley to the sauce and raise heat on the sauce and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve the pasta with the sauce over. Makes 4 dinner servings or 8 appetizer servings.