Seafood Fra Diavolo

Seafood Fra Diavolo is my go to dish. If I'm eating at an Italian restaurant, chances are that's what I'm ordering. I decided to give it a go at home and it came out perfect! It took no time at all to make and the total cost was under $20! This meal will serve 2-4 comfortably.

You will need:

•1 lb spaghetti 

•Fresh flat leaf parsley. About 2 tablespoons chopped. 

•1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less depending on the level of heat you want)

•1 teaspoon dried oregano

•1 teaspoon dried basil

• 4 cloves garlic chopped

• 1 can crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup of a dry white wine

Seafood:

• 8 clams

• 8 shrimp

• 8 rings of calamari 

• 1 small lobster 

Tip: use fresh seafood. It's cheaper. Also, you can make this dish with any seafood you want! For the lobster meat in the dish it was cheaper to buy a lobster for $6 than buy just a tail for $19. And you get more meat!

Getting Started

Fill a large stock pot with cool water and get it boiling because it takes some time. 

Prep your seafood. In a small bowl scrub the clam shells and fill bowl with clean water. The clams with use the water to spit out any sand or grit from the Inside of the shell. Leave them in the water about 15 mins. 

Peel and devein the shrimp. Season the shrimp and calamari with salt and pepper. 

Put the lobster in the freezer for a few minutes. This will calm it down so it's not flailing around when you drop in the boiling water.

Heat about 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauce pan. Sauté garlic and pepper flakes until fragrant. Be careful not to burn it! Add the can of tomatoes, parsley and dried herbs. Keep stirring. Add the wine, salt and pepper. Cover the pan, cook on low flame for about 15-20 minutes. 

Check the stock pot. If its boiling, you are ready to add the lobster! Remove the lobster from the freezer and add to the pot. 

Start another pot of water to boil for the pasta. 

Tip: try to have all your ingredients prepped. The dish comes together quickly and you do not want to over cook the seafood. 

Boil lobster approx 15 minutes until its red/orange in color and it's antennae pulls out easily. Set aside to cool on a cutting board. 

Twist off tail and claws

Your sauce should be almost done. Taste to see if you need more salt and pepper. Add clams, shrimp and calamari. The clams should open up. Some take longer than others, any that stay closed, just throw away. 

Add pasta to boiling water. 

Break open lobster tail, dice the meat. You will be adding this last because its already cooked. 

After the clams open, the other seafood will be done. Add lobster and strain cooked pasta. 

Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and add to sauce. 

In a large bowl or serving platter, add pasta and then the sauce over top will the lobster claws as a garnish. 

Enjoy!!!!

Tip: this meal pairs well with a lighter, fruity red wine like Merlot. (Yes you can drink red wine with seafood!) If you like white wine, try a Pinot Grigio.