🇮🇹 Italian · Pasta
🦐 Scialatielli ai Frutti di Mare
Scialatielli ai Frutti di Mare
Scialatielli ai Frutti di Mare pairs the Amalfi Coast's own short, thick, ribbon-cut pasta with a generous medley of clams, mussels, and shrimp in a light white wine sauce.
Scialatielli is a relatively young pasta shape by Italian standards, invented in the 1970s specifically to hold up to hearty seafood sauces — its slightly rough, thick-cut texture is designed with exactly this kind of dish in mind.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Rolling pin or pasta machine, Large skillet with a lid, Large pot
Scialatielli dough
- 400 g (3⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) milk
- 2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
- Pinch of salt
Seafood sauce
- 300 g (10 oz) clams, purged
- 300 g (10 oz) mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 200 g (7 oz) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine
- 200 g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Combine the flour, eggs, milk, Parmigiano, basil, and salt into a smooth dough. Knead for 8–10 minutes. Rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough into sheets about 3mm thick and cut into short, wide ribbons, about 1cm wide.
- Heat half the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the garlic, cooking briefly, then add the clams and mussels with half the wine. Cover and cook for 4–6 minutes until opened, discarding any that stay closed. Remove and set aside, keeping the liquid.
- Add the remaining oil and garlic to the pan along with the red pepper flakes and cherry tomatoes, cooking for 3–4 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and remaining wine, cooking for 2–3 minutes until just opaque.
- Return the clams and mussels to the pan.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the scialatielli for 3–4 minutes until al dente.
- Drain and add directly to the skillet, tossing everything together with a splash of pasta water.
- Stir in the parsley and serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- The addition of milk and basil to the dough is what distinguishes scialatielli from standard egg pasta — don't skip either.
- Purge the clams thoroughly to avoid any sand in the finished dish.
- Add the shrimp only in the final few minutes to avoid overcooking it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the milk in the dough, resulting in a texture closer to standard tagliatelle rather than authentic scialatielli.
- Overcooking the shrimp, making it tough and rubbery.
- Not purging the shellfish, leaving grit in the final dish.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- An excellent source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids from the variety of seafood.
- Rich in heart-healthy olive oil.
Cultural Note
Scialatielli was invented in the 1970s by a chef on the Amalfi Coast specifically as a heartier alternative to spaghetti for seafood dishes, and quickly became a coastal Campania signature.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Best eaten immediately — seafood pasta does not store or reheat well.
Reheating: Not recommended; seafood toughens significantly when reheated.
Serve with: Crusty bread, A crisp white wine such as Falanghina or Greco di Tufo