Linguine Allo Scoglio – Authentic Italian Seafood Pasta Guide & Recipe

A few weeks ago on my Instagram story, I shared one of my most favorite “date-night” dinners – Linguine Allo Scoglio. This Italian seafood pasta garnered so much interest, that a few viewers suggested I share the recipe on my blog!

“Scoglio” literally translates to “rock” or “reef”, and some classify it as Pasta Frutti Di Mare, which means “fruits of the sea.” Fittingly so, this dish is composed of a lovely, light tomato-based pasta featuring the freshest squid, shrimp, and mussels. Then, it’s finished with a touch of garlic, lemon, and white wine! Yum! Watch my Instagram Reel here to see this tasty dish come together in a quick 30-second video!

Plus, I’ll give you all of the tips you need for working with seafood like this! You’ll be surprised at how easily this luxurious dish comes together. Paired with my Sicilian Cannoli recipe, you’re set for the most crave-able dinner date-night ever!

Let’s Make Some Linguine Allo Scoglio

If you’ve never worked with some of these under-the-sea ingredients, I’ll walk you through the process – from bringing them home safely, storage tips, cleaning, and preparing – you’ll be a pro in no time!

As mentioned above, this recipe comes together quite quickly, which means it’s essential that you complete all of the prep work first. So, let’s begin there!

Read through the preparation steps and cooking method, then scroll down for a printable “checklist” version of the recipe and exact measurements. And, don’t forget to tell Siri to play some Frank Sinatra!

Happy Cooking!

Notes About Purchasing Seafood

Try to find a local fishmonger known for selling good quality, fresh fish.

It’s best to purchase the seafood the day of cooking, but you can stretch it to the day before if need be.

When I make this dish at home, I go to the West Side Market (a specialty market in our area known for selling the best of the best products.) If I can’t make the market, Whole Foods is another good option.

You can buy deveined and peeled shrimp to make the process a little easier – otherwise, I’ll share with you how to peel and devein a shrimp below.

Your fishmonger should wrap the shrimp in some paper. You can store it in the refrigerator for a day or so until you’re ready to prep it (which I’ll cover below.)

When purchasing the calamari (squid), you’ll typically see an option to purchase the “tubes and/or tentacles”.

We only use the tubes (the body) in this recipe, so just ask for that if at all possible. You usually won’t stumble upon whole squid (thankfully.)

Again, the fishmonger will wrap the squid and it can stay in the fridge for a day until you’re ready to cook.

Finally: ask for the mussels.

Inspect the mussels carefully before purchasing them. They should have an oceanic, briny aroma, rather than smelling overly fishy.

Too, make sure the mussels are tightly closed. You want to purchase live mussels (not dead ones.) So, if one or two have started to open, give it a firm knock on the countertop, and watch: the mussel should react to the “trauma” by slowly closing back up. If it doesn’t, it’s dead – don’t buy dead ones.

You can also ask the fishmonger to provide you with a small bag of ice on which your mussels can sit so they don’t go bad on the way home. However, be careful not to close the bag tightly or submerge the mussels in the ice, otherwise, they will die.

As soon as you arrive home, place a colander or strainer over the top of a large bowl. Throw the ice away, then place the mussels in the strainer. This allows the mussels to drain off any excess liquids. Place the bowl uncovered (remember, sealing the mussels will kill them) in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.

Linguine Allo Scoglio Prep Work

To start your prep, chop and set together any side vegetables/bread you’ll be serving along with this delicious pasta.

I love to cut pieces of asparagus into thirds, and pan saute it with mushroom, chopped shallot, and some S&P.

I also slice a ciabatta loaf in half, lengthwise, and brush on some melted butter, garlic, parmesan, and parsley. Preheat the oven so you can pop the bread in to warm while cooking the pasta later on.

Next, chop up the vegetables for the pasta.

This includes the garlic, saffron, and parsley (exact measurements below.) Also, halve the cherry tomatoes. You can also zest and juice your lemon at this point, and grate your parmesan if serving it.

Set these ingredients aside in separate little bowls.

Then, measure out the liquid ingredients.

In separate containers, measure out the exact amounts you’ll need of butter, wine, and tomato sauce. This way, once everything is “going down” on the stove, you won’t have to struggle in your cabinets to find a measuring cup. Trust me – every second is essential!

At this time, you can also start a pot of boiling water on the stove. Leave it at a low-to-medium simmer, covered, until you’re ready to plunk your pasta in.

Also, make sure your salt, pepper, and sugar are within reach of the stove.

Slice the calamari into rings.

Using a chef’s knife, cut the “tubes” of squid into 1/2-inch slices, creating little rings of calamari. Dry off the squid with a paper towel to remove excess juices, then set it all back in the refrigerator until cooking time.

Next, peel and devein the shrimp, if necessary.

First, use your thumbs to remove the head and legs from the shrimp if still attached, by pulling them away from the body.

Then, pull off the remaining pieces of the outer shell, starting underneath the shrimp to crack it off. I like to remove the entirety of the shell, even from the tail, for easier eating later on.

To devein a shrimp, or, in other words, remove its digestive tract, make a shallow cut along the top and back of the shrimp with a paring knife – it doesn’t need to be deep, only about 1/4 of an inch or so. If you see a dark line running through the back of the shrimp, grab it at the top with one finger against your pairing knife and pull it out. If you cannot see a dark vein, that shrimp may have been a little hungry before it was caught – in other words, there is nothing in its digestive tract so you don’t have to worry about removing it.

As with the squid, dry the shrimp of any excess moisture, then place it all back into the refrigerator to keep cool before cooking your Linguine Allo Scoglio.

Finally, clean your mussels!

Remove the mussels from the refrigerator and scrub each one under cold running water. You want to remove any grit, sand, or beard (it looks like string) that still may remain on the shell from transport.

As it was in the store, if any shells have opened, tap them firmly against the sink to make sure they close back up. Discard any broken shells or dead mussels.

Linguine Allo Scoglio Cooking Method

Cooking the Linguine Allo Scoglio is quick, but jam-packed with steps. It’s important to have all your ingredients prepped, as this meal will come together very quickly, and you don’t want to overcook any of the elements!

Remember to get any veggies or bread cooking/heating as well, before beginning the pasta.

To start, heat a third of the olive oil in the large frying pan over medium-high heat. You want a pan with high sides and a lid, like this one. Once the oil is shiny and hot, place the shrimp in. Cook them for a minute and a half to two minutes on each side, flipping them as they turn pink. Remove the shrimp to a clean bowl, and set aside.

Heat another third of the olive oil again in the same pan, this time adding the calamari, garlic, and tomatoes when it’s hot. Cook this mixture, string it around occasionally, for about two minutes, until the calamari rings curl slightly and become opaque.

Next, to the hot pan ingredients, add the mussels, immediately followed by the white wine to deglaze, and the tomato puree. Cover this pan for one or two minutes. The steam and heat inside the pan will cook and open the mussels.

After the shells have begun to open on the mussels, turn off the heat on an electric stove (or set it at low on a gas stove.) Add the remaining bit of olive oil, as well as the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, some of the parsley, and the saffron.

At this point, make sure to start cooking your linguine.

Stir the mixture in the frypan, taste test, and then add salt, pepper, and sugar as needed. Add the shrimp back into the pan as well, stirring to combine.

Then, remove the entire mixture from the heat, while you wait for your remaining components to finish.

When the linguine noodles are cooked al dente (firm, but cooked through), drain off most of the liquid. Don’t rinse the noodles, as the starchy pasta water helps the sauce thicken and adhere to the linguine. It’s okay if a few tablespoons of pasta water remain on the noodles.

In whichever vessel is larger (either the noodle pot or the frypan) combine the linguine with the seafood sauce. Top with the remaining parsley and parmesan and serve with a glass of white and some crispy, cheesy garlic bread! The sauce will thicken a bit as it cools, but make sure to spoon enough of it – though it may be a little liquidy – onto your plate. There’s nothing better than sopping up that tomato-y, seafood sauce with the crisp garlic bread!

Linguine Allo Scoglio Printable Recipe

Buon Appetito!

All you need to do now is put on some light Italian dinner music, pour yourself some white wine, and enjoy! I hope you love this Linguine Allo Scoglio as much as I do. Usually, I only publish dessert recipes, but if you’d like to see more food posts in the mix, be sure to leave me a comment letting me know!

If you’re looking for the perfect complement to your authentic Italian dinner, be sure to check out my Sicilian Cannoli tutorial! I made these this past summer, and they were the perfect end to a delicious Italian feast.

And, feel free to find me on Instagram so we can keep in touch! You can even tag me in your next culinary creation – I love to see what you’re up to in the kitchen!

One more thing: if you like recipes, enter your email below to receive notification of my next blog post like this one. I publish mostly dessert tutorials and recipes, with the occasional food post, too! Either way, you don’t want to miss it!

Take care guys! Thanks for reading! Until next time…

XOXO

 

 

 

 

 

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