We subscribe to the 80/20 rule when it comes to food. We try to eat healthy about 80% of the time, and 20% of the time, we indulge in something we’re craving. This recipe definitely falls in to the 20% category, but was very much worth it. We both love a good seafood pasta and have made many variations over the years, but this one has to be our favorite. It has some creaminess from the cream, some tang from the vodka, and a spicy kick from the Calabrian peppers. It’s an all-around win.
We selected shrimp, mussels, and scallops for the recipe, but all types of shellfish would work well in this. You can adjust the amounts as needed. Lobster, clams, crab, or even a meaty halibut would work great. Whatever you get, just make sure it’s fresh and properly cleaned! If you are using mussels or clams, make sure to tap them on the counter top to make sure they are still good (if they are good, they will close up when you tap them; don’t use them if they stay open despite tapping).
Once the seafood is prepped, you can start prepping the sauce, starting with the onion and garlic. You want to make sure the onion and garlic is chopped very finely, as you will not be blending the sauce. Once cooked, you add in the tomato paste and let reduce slightly, and then the fun part comes! Deglaze the pan with the vodka and let it simmer a bit before adding the crushed tomatoes and spices.
Meanwhile, you want to go ahead and boil the pasta according to package instructions, so it’s ready to go once the sauce is done. We used Capellini, but you can use any type of pasta you like. Angel hair or spaghetti would be the next closest options.
Once the mixture has reduced a bit, you can add in the whipping cream and bring up to a boil. Next, you want to cook your seafood methodically. Nothing ruins a seafood pasta like overcooked shellfish. We started with the mussels first, as they need to steam a bit to open up. We followed them with the scallops and lastly, the shrimp, which only need to cook for a couple minutes.
Every great pasta dish needs to be topped with some fresh herbs and parmesan. We picked some fresh basil from our patio garden to top it, along with freshly grated parmesan, and chopped Calabrian chilies for that extra kick of spiciness. It was a perfect blend of flavors and definitely satisfied our craving for a hearty pasta dish.
From prep to table, this recipe can be made in about 30-40 minutes, making it a great weeknight option! Bon Appetit!
Ingredients
Method
- Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and garlic. Sauté until slightly translucent.
- Add tomato paste, stir gently for 2-3 minutes. Then, deglaze the pan with one quarter cup vodka, stirring to combine. Let simmer for about 1 minute.
- Next, add the crushed tomato, oregano, crushed red pepper, and sugar. Salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for about 5-7 minutes, allowing some of the liquid to reduce.
- Next, add in the whipping cream and stir to combine. Should resemble a light-red sauce. If it is too thick, add in water to thin it out.
- While you wait for the sauce to simmer, in a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions while you finish preparing the sauce.
- If pasta is finished before the sauce is ready, drain pasta, drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking, and set it aside.
- Once the sauce is simmering, add in mussels. Once mussels have begun to open up, add scallops. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp. Cook another 3-4 minutes, until shrimp are no longer translucent. Take sauce off heat.
- Toss the pasta in with the seafood sauce. To plate, top with chopped calabrian chilies, grated parmesan, and chopped fresh basil.