Pasta Fra Diavolo with Seafood

1. Boil Water

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, using just enough water to cover the pasta by 1-2 inches. This will save you some time waiting for the water to boil and will also ensure that you have plenty of starch in the pasta water to help hold your emulsion. Add about two teaspoons of salt per quart of water. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and place a lid on the pot until you're ready to cook the pasta.

2. Sweat Aromatics

In a pan over medium heat, sweat the sliced garlic in olive oil until fragrant and soft, but not brown. Add chopped jarred Calabrian chili to the pan and sauté for a minute or two.

3. Cook the Prawns

Season the Argentinian red prawns with salt and cook them in the same pan until they are 80% cooked, about a minute per side. Remove them from the pan and hold them on a plate until ready to finish.

4. Add wine and Mussels

Pour the white wine into the pan, then add the mussels and a lid. Steam the mussels until they begin to open, about a minute or two. Remove the mussels from the pan as soon as the shells open, and set them aside on a plate to cool slightly. Once they're cool enough to handle, remove the mussels from their shell, saving a few whole for garnish if you like. Discard any mussels that don't open.

5. Add Tomato

Add pureed San Marzano tomatoes to the pan, along with a pinch of salt, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

6. Cook the Pasta

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta in the boiling water for about 30 seconds to a minute less than the package instructions suggest. Drain the pasta, and remember to reserve a cup of the liquid for the sauce.

7. Sauce Pasta

Add the drained pasta and a 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the pan. Stir to combine, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has reduced to coat each noodle. With seafood pastas like this one, you want the consistency to be slightly looser given the natural salt content from the mussels. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.

8. Finishing Ingredients

Season the sliced squid with salt and add it to the pan, along with the cooked mussels and prawns. Cook until everything is heated through. Off the heat, add chiffonade basil and chopped parsley to the pasta, tossing everything together to combine. The consistency should be slightly brothy while still thick enough to coat the pasta with the sauce.

9. Serve

Taste the pasta for seasoning, adjusting with salt and pepper. Divide between bowls, placing a couple whole mussels on top (if using), and serve.