My local fishmonger sells what is known as a “marinara mix,” which generally just consists of trimmings from larger fish fillets, very small prawns and scallops and some tiny calamari rings.
It’s all very high-quality seafood, but comes at a great price, so I’m always on the lookout for something to make for it – which is where the inspiration for this recipe came from!
Translating to “fisherman’s spaghetti” and often also referred to as “frutti di mare” (though this often refers to pasta with just shellfish), it’s a quick sauce to throw together and it’s packed with bright, fresh flavours.
Use whatever seafood you’d like – it will be delicious no matter what!
How to Make Spaghetti alla Pescatore
This is one of these recipes (not unlike my spaghetti alla busara or tomato anchovy pasta) where the sauce comes together as the pasta cooks. So make sure to have all your ingredients prepped and a big pot of water boiling before you start cooking.
Add the pasta to the boiling water (the recipe calls for spaghetti, but go ahead and use linguine or bucatini or whatever you have on hand!) and cook it for about 2 minutes less than the package suggests. This ensures an al dente texture – and the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce.
Make sure to reserve a bit of pasta cooking water instead of draining it all off!
While the pasta is cooking, add some roughly chopped garlic, a chopped anchovy fillet and some chili flakes to a cold pan along with a bit of olive oil. Set the pan over medium heat and gently heat up the oil.
You’ll notice the garlic begin to sizzle and the anchovy will start dissolving – once this happens, add some tomato paste and cook for a minute or two longer.
Then, add some diced fresh tomatoes along with a bit of salt. Cook the tomatoes until they begin to break down, release their moisture and reach a jammy texture – about 5 minutes longer.
Once you’ve reached this stage, go ahead and pour in a bit of dry white wine. Simmer this for another minute or two, just so the strong alcoholic smell goes away, before stirring in your seafood.
I used a mixture that included shelled prawns, scallops, calamari and bits of fish, but you can use whatever blend of seafood that you’d like.
Just note that, if you’re using whole shellfish like mussels and clams, they need to be opened completely before serving. You might also want to throw in more delicate seafood like prawns a couple of minutes after adding clams or mussels to ensure everything cooks evenly.
Once the seafood is cooked through, add your pasta and some fresh chopped parsley. Toss the pasta in the sauce using tongs and add some pasta water, a splash at a time, to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
Now all you need to do is serve and enjoy!
Spaghetti Pescatore
Ingredients
- 250 g (9 oz) spaghetti
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 1 anchovy fillet roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 Roma tomatoes diced
- 60 ml (¼ cup) dry white wine
- 200 g (7 oz) mixed seafood such as clams, prawns, mussels, calamari, etc
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 2 minutes less than the package suggests. Drain the pasta, reserving roughly 120-250ml (½ cup – 1 cup) of cooking water.
- Meanwhile, add the olive oil, garlic, chili flakes and anchovy to a large skillet. Set over medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the anchovy dissolves and the garlic softens (see note 1). Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute longer.
- Add the tomatoes along with ¼ tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have released their moisture, are beginning to break down and have a jammy texture – about 5 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook for a minute or 2 longer.
- Stir in the seafood and simmer until cooked through – about 5 minutes (see note 2). Add the pasta and parsley, tossing with tongs to coat it in the sauce. Add a splash of pasta cooking water, if necessary, until the sauce has reached the desired consistency. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Starting in a cold pan helps the garlic infuse the oil without burning.
- If using shell-on seafood like mussels & clams, note that the shells must be completely open to ensure they are cooked through. Add more delicate seafood like prawns and calamari in the last 2–3 minutes to avoid overcooking.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This spaghetti pescatore is super simple to make but one of those dishes that feels fancy – and good enough for a special occasion!
Are you after a great seafood pasta? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
