Spaghetti with Clams, Mussels, and Lots of Saffron, or: Spaghetti con Conchiglie, Cozze e… Tanto Zafferano: Shellfish have long had a reputation of exciting people's randy feelings. With a bit of planning, one could even make this at the beach, at which point a secluded spot and an air mattress would make things complete.
Prep Time: 12 hours, 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds (900g) of mixed live shellfish
- 1/2 pound (200 g) spaghetti
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- An onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- A hot pepper
- 2 packets saffron
- 3/4 cup (200 ml) hot broth (vegetable will work)
Preparation:
You'll need about two pounds of mixed live shellfish, including clams, wedge shells, and mussels (keep the clams separate from the mussels; instructions for purchasing and storing live shellfish), a half pound of spaghetti (for two), 3/4 cup olive oil, an onion, 2 cloves of garlic, a hot pepper, two packets of saffron, 3/4 cup of hot broth, salt and white pepper, and, if you can find them, some fresh wild fennel fronds (not too many, but some). Also a pasta pot and two broad pots for cooking the shellfish.
Fill the pasta pot with water and set it to boil.
Finely slice the onion and set it to simmer in 2/3 cup olive oil. Crush the garlic, shred the hot pepper, and add them to the pot, together with the wild fennel. Dissolve a packet of saffron in half the broth.
As soon as the oil begins to smoke, drain the clams and wedge shells and add them to the pot; they'll open immediately, adding their juices to the pot. Stir in the saffron-and-broth mix, reduce the fire to a minimum, cover, and turn your attention to the mussels:
Heat two tablespoons of oil in the second pot and add the mussels; cover and shake vigorously. The mussels will open immediately; continue cooking for a couple more minutes, then remove them from the fire. Pour the pot liquor into the other pot, then shell the mussels, discarding the shells and returning them tot heir pot, together with abundant freshly ground white pepper, the remaining broth, and the remaining saffron.
Keep the contents of both pots warm while you salt the pasta water and cook the spaghetti, draining it when it is al dente. Transfer them to a bowl and mix in the mussels with their sauce, followed by the clams with theirs. The saffron will turn everything a pretty yellow, and another grind or two of pepper will contribute to the pasta's invigorating effects. What with? A Vermentino dei Colli di Luni might be nice.
Note: if one of the shellfish fails to open upon being cooked, do not eat it! It was already dead when it went into the pot, and eating it could make you quite sick.
Fill the pasta pot with water and set it to boil.
Finely slice the onion and set it to simmer in 2/3 cup olive oil. Crush the garlic, shred the hot pepper, and add them to the pot, together with the wild fennel. Dissolve a packet of saffron in half the broth.
As soon as the oil begins to smoke, drain the clams and wedge shells and add them to the pot; they'll open immediately, adding their juices to the pot. Stir in the saffron-and-broth mix, reduce the fire to a minimum, cover, and turn your attention to the mussels:
Heat two tablespoons of oil in the second pot and add the mussels; cover and shake vigorously. The mussels will open immediately; continue cooking for a couple more minutes, then remove them from the fire. Pour the pot liquor into the other pot, then shell the mussels, discarding the shells and returning them tot heir pot, together with abundant freshly ground white pepper, the remaining broth, and the remaining saffron.
Keep the contents of both pots warm while you salt the pasta water and cook the spaghetti, draining it when it is al dente. Transfer them to a bowl and mix in the mussels with their sauce, followed by the clams with theirs. The saffron will turn everything a pretty yellow, and another grind or two of pepper will contribute to the pasta's invigorating effects. What with? A Vermentino dei Colli di Luni might be nice.
Note: if one of the shellfish fails to open upon being cooked, do not eat it! It was already dead when it went into the pot, and eating it could make you quite sick.
