This is really simple to make, and the key to this recipe is the step where the pasta is finished cooking in the sauce. This is called “emulsifying”, and it’s an essential Italian cooking technique where the starch in the pasta cooking water reacts with the oil in the sauce and makes the sauce thick and luscious so it coats every strand of pasta. It delivers sensational flavours plus iron, copper, zinc and selenium.

Spaghetti seafood marinara

INGREDIENTS: 

• 6 oz / 180g dried spaghetti pasta (or other long pasta of choice)
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil , separated
• 10 oz / 300g seafood Marinara mix 
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1/2 onion , finely chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup white wine 
• 2 cups tomato passata/tomato puree OR 600g/20oz canned crushed tomato + 1/2 cup water. See note 2.
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

METHOD:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to packet directions, but reduce the cooking time by 1 minute (because the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce). RESERVE 1 mug of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
2. Separate the seafood mix based on cook time. Longest cook time: fish and medium / large prawns, medium cook time: small prawns, shortest cook time: calamari.
3. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add fish and large prawns first, cook for 30 seconds. Add small prawns, cook for 30 seconds. Add calamari, cook for 1 minute. Immediately transfer everything to a bowl.
4. Reduce heat to medium high. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil, then add garlic and onion. Cook for 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
5. Add wine and bring to simmer, scraping the bottom of the skillet to mix the brown bits into the liquid. Simmer for 1 minute or until alcohol smell has evaporated.
6. Add tomato passata, sugar, salt & pepper. Low heat to medium high, bring to simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add pasta, seafood, around 1/2 cup of reserved pasta cooking water into the sauce. Toss gently and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta.
8. Serve, garnished with fresh parsley.

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Recipe Notes:

1. Seafood Marinara is just a mix of different seafoods including small shrimp/prawns, mussels, slices of calamari and pieces of fish. However, you can make up your own if you prefer, using whatever seafood you want.
2. Tomato passata / puree is like a thick tomato juice, it’s smooth and has a thick consistency. It is plain pureed tomatoes. Not to be confused with tomato paste or tomato ketchup, or tomato sauce! Or you can make your own by pureeing any plain canned tomatoes in a blender.