Pasta allo Scoglio: Southern Italian Seafood Pasta

Purge the clams: place them in a large bowl of cold salted water (30 g salt per litre) for at least 30 minutes, then drain and scrub the shells. Debeard the mussels and discard any that are cracked or stay open when tapped.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine 2 minutes less than the packet time. Before draining, scoop out 400 ml of starchy cooking water and reserve it.

While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large, wide pan (big enough to hold everything later) over medium-low heat. Add the garlic cloves, sliced thin, and the chili flakes. Cook for 60–90 seconds until the garlic softens and the oil smells fragrant — it must not colour.

Increase the heat to high. Add the clams and mussels and pour in the white wine. Cover with a lid and cook for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway through, until all shells have opened. Discard any that stay shut.

Add the cherry tomatoes and squid rings and tentacles. Stir and cook uncovered for 2 minutes — the squid will turn white and lose its translucency.

Add the prawns and cook for 60 seconds, just until they turn pink. Remove the pan from the heat immediately; residual heat will finish them.

Drain the pasta (don't rinse) and add it directly to the seafood pan. Return to medium-high heat. Add 150 ml of the reserved pasta water and toss everything vigorously for 1–2 minutes, adding more water splash by splash until the sauce emulsifies and coats the pasta — it should be glossy, not pooled.

Remove from heat, scatter over the parsley, taste and adjust salt, and serve immediately in warmed bowls with the shells on.