This month’s recipe is Amalfi Coast Linguine allo Scoglio. On the Amalfi Coast, seafood couldn’t be fresher, and this pasta is one of the best ways to enjoy it. But you don’t need to travel to Italy to bring it to your table — it’s simple to make and lets clams, mussels, and shrimp shine.

Linguine allo Scoglio translates literally to "linguine at the rock" and is made from seafood found around or clinging to coastal stones: mussels, clams, shrimp, squid, and sometimes small fish. It is a dish that is sometimes referred to as a type of Pasta Frutti di Mare (lit. "fruits of the sea" pasta).

While seafood pasta has ancient origins in Mediterranean cuisine — the Greeks and Romans both paired wheat-based noodles with fish — allo scoglio as we know it today developed in fishing villages where the day’s catch set the day's menu. It’s a perfect example of cucina di mare povera, the “humble seafood kitchen,” where simplicity meets abundance: a few aromatics, the freshest shellfish, and pasta to soak up the briny-sweet sauce (brodetto).

Linguine allo Scoglio is often served family-style, with a mountain of steaming seafood over pasta, meant to be shared with good wine and some bread to soak up the heavenly liquid in the bottom of the bowl.

Cook's Notes:

1. Both for the recipe and sipping, look for an Italian dry white wine such as Vermentino (recommended by castellodiamorosa.com). We couldn’t find it in our local Vons, so we used an Italian Pinot Grigio, and it tasted just fine.

2. We ate the dish (as in the photo) with some antipasto and warmed ciabatta rolls. Ciabatta (lit. “slipper”) was created in 1982 by Arnaldo Cavallari, a baker and miller in Adria (near Venice, in the Veneto region), because he was concerned that Italian sandwich culture was being overtaken by the French baguette. Ciabatta is now a common bread used in panini sandwiches in the U.S.

3. Although mussels, clams, squid, and shrimp are de rigueur, feel free to add white fish, scallops, lobster, or other seafood you like.

Ingredients:

• 14 ounces linguine
• 1 pound mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 1 pound clams, purged of sand
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled but tails on for presentation
• 1/2 pound calamari (squid), cleaned and sliced into rings
• 3–4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2/3 cup dry white wine (see above)
• Extra virgin olive oil, generous
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Place clams in salted cold water for 20–30 minutes to expel sand. Rinse mussels, discarding any that are open and unresponsive to a tap.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine until al dente, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
3. In a large, deep skillet, heat a generous swirl of olive oil over medium heat. Add half the garlic and a pinch of pepper flakes. When fragrant, add mussels and clams. Pour in the white wine, cover, and steam until shells open (about 4 minutes). Discard any that remain closed.
4. Remove shellfish with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the cooking liquid after straining through a fine sieve.
5. In the same skillet, add more olive oil if needed, then the remaining garlic. Toss in shrimp and calamari, seasoning lightly. Sauté 2–3 minutes until shrimp turn pink and calamari turn opaque.
6. Add cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook until they soften. Pour in the strained shellfish liquid and a splash of reserved pasta water. Simmer briefly.
7. Return mussels and clams to the skillet. Add the drained linguine and toss everything together over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes. Add pasta water if needed for a silky sauce.
8. Sprinkle generously with chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper (go easy on the salt — the shellfish are naturally briny). Serve immediately, preferably in wide bowls, ensuring everyone gets a good mix of pasta and seafood.

Recipe by T. Johnston-O'Neill
Photos by Shari K. Johnston-O'Neill