Pasta With Mixed Seafood (Pasta alla Posillipo)

By
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.
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Updated on 05/5/21
Pasta With Mixed Seafood (Pasta alla Posillipo)

The Spruce / Danielle Moore

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Soak Time: 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
762 Calories
35g Fat
43g Carbs
64g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 762
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g 45%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 349mg 116%
Sodium 2132mg 93%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 64g
Vitamin C 67mg 334%
Calcium 234mg 18%
Iron 11mg 60%
Potassium 1344mg 29%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for a fresh, flavorful seafood pasta comes from Giuliano Bugialli. Shrimp, squid, mussels, and clams are simmered in a garlic tomato sauce and served over pasta for an Italian seafood feast. 

A little extra time is needed to prepare this dish as the seafood is soaked in separate bowls in cold water before preparing so estimate your time accordingly. 

The perfect meal for a special occasion or romantic dinner, serve this seafood pasta dish with crusty bread and crisp white wine.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound shell-on small shrimp

  • 1 pound squid (very small calamari), cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch rings

  • 1 pound mussels 

  • 1 pound small littleneck clams

  • 2 teaspoons coarse or kosher salt, divided

  • 2 cups cold water

  • 3/4 cup olive oil, divided

  • 2 large cloves garlic, chopped

  • 2 pounds canned tomatoes, preferably Italian

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Pepper, to taste

  • 1 pound dried perciatelli pasta

  • 20 sprigs Italian parsley, leaves only

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Pasta With Mixed Seafood (Pasta alla Posillipo) ingredients

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  2. Place shrimp, squid, mussels, and small clams in 4 different bowls of cold water with 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt added to each and soak for 30 minutes.

    shrimp, squid, mussels, and small clams in 4 different bowls of cold water

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  3. Drain the shrimp and rinse under cold running water, then shell and devein them. Place the shrimp in a small bowl and put the shells in a small saucepan.

    peeled shrimp in a bowl, shrimp shells in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore


  4. Pour the 2 cups cold water over shells, place the saucepan over medium heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.

    shrimp shells in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore


  5. Strain the broth (it should yield about 1 cup), discard the shells, and set aside broth until needed.

    shrimp broth strained into a bowl

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  6. Meanwhile, place a large saucepan with 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes.

    oil and garlic in a skillet

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  7. Add the tomatoes and white wine. Simmer for 30 minutes, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

    tomatoes, garlic and white wine in a skillet

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  8. Pass the contents of the saucepan through a food mill, using the disc with the smallest holes, and into a flameproof enamel casserole dish.

    Pass the contents of the saucepan through a food mill

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  9. Set the casserole dish over low heat to reduce the liquid for 15 minutes.

    Set the casserole dish over low heat to reduce the liquid

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  10. Meanwhile, drain the squid and rinse under cold running water.

    drain the liquid from the squid

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  11. Place another medium-sized saucepan with 1/4 cup of the olive oil over low heat. When the oil is warm, add the squid and saute for 5 minutes.

    cook squid in a skillet

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  12. Season with salt and pepper and add the shrimp broth a little at a time and simmer until the squid is tender, for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the squid, adding more broth as it evaporates in order to keep the squid in liquid.

    squid cooking with shrimp broth in a skillet

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  13. Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil and add salt to taste. Once the squid is cooked, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 8 to 11 minutes depending on the brand: that is, 1 minute less than for normal al dente.

    cook spaghetti in a pot

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  14. As the pasta cooks, drain the mussels and clams, scrub them under cold water, then place in a large skillet with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Place over high heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, by which time they should be opened. Discard any that remain unopened.

    clams and muscles cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  15. Add the shrimp to the pan with the squid and cook for 3 minutes. When the pasta is ready, drain it and transfer it to the skillet with the mussels and clams. Add the tomato sauce with the shrimp and squid, then mix very well and let cook for 1 minute more to let the pasta to absorb some of the sauce.

    squid and shrimp cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

  16. Transfer to a warmed serving platter, sprinkle with the whole parsley leaves, and serve.

    Pasta With Mixed Seafood (Pasta alla Posillipo) in a bowl

    The Spruce / Danielle Moore

Tip

  • If you do not own a food mill, tomato sauce can also be blended smooth with an immersion blender or in a blender.