Scialatielli ai Frutti di Mare

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Scialatielli ai frutti di mare is a pasta dish from the Amalfi Coast, where the pasta itself is as important as the seafood. Scialatielli are short, flat, slightly irregular noodles with a chew that holds up to a bold shellfish sauce.

The sauce is built in one pan: garlic, white wine, cherry tomatoes, and the natural liquor that releases from the clams and mussels as they open. No cream, no thickening, no shortcuts.

Getting the seafood order right matters. Squid goes in first because it takes longer. Clams and mussels go in next. Shrimp last, or they turn rubbery before the shells open.

Fresh scialatielli is the goal, but dried works well if you can find it. If not, thick fresh spaghetti alla chitarra or mafaldine gets you close.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• One pan for the sauce, ready in under 45 minutes
• Thick handmade pasta grips the briny seafood sauce
• No cream needed – shellfish liquid builds the flavor
• Authentic Amalfi Coast recipe, not a generic pasta alle vongole

Ingredient Notes

• Scialatielli pasta: Fresh scialatielli from a Campania-style dough (flour, eggs, basil, milk) is ideal. Dried scialatielli works too – cook it 1 minute under the package time so it finishes in the sauce.
• Clams (vongole veraci): Manila clams or littleneck clams are the closest substitute if vongole veraci are unavailable. Purge them in cold salted water for 30 minutes before cooking to remove any sand.
• Mussels: Buy fresh, tightly closed mussels and debeard them right before cooking. Discard any that don’t open during cooking.
• Squid (calamari): Ask your fishmonger to clean them. Cut the bodies into rings about 1 cm wide and keep the tentacles whole. Frozen squid, fully thawed and dried, works fine.
• Shrimp: Medium shrimp (16-20 count) peeled and deveined. Shell-on adds more flavor to the sauce if you don’t mind peeling at the table.
• Dry white wine: Use a wine you’d drink – a Campanian Falanghina or a plain Pinot Grigio both work. Avoid anything labeled ‘cooking wine’.
• Cherry tomatoes: Datterini or Pachino tomatoes are the Campanian standard. Regular cherry tomatoes are fine. Crush them lightly in the pan rather than chopping them.

Scialatielli ai Frutti di Mare

Classic Campania seafood pasta with homemade scialatielli, clams, mussels, shrimp, and squid in a light white wine and tomato broth.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 620

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the scialatielli pasta (fresh)

• 300 g tipo 00 flour plus extra for dusting
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tbsp whole milk substitute water to make dairy free
• 5 g fresh basil leaves, finely chopped optional but traditional
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

For the seafood sauce

• 400 g clams (vongole), purged Manila or littleneck clams work
• 400 g mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 200 g medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 16-20 count
• 200 g squid, cleaned, cut into 1 cm rings tentacles kept whole
• 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved datterini or Pachino preferred
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 150 ml dry white wine Falanghina or Pinot Grigio
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 20 g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes optional, to taste
• to taste fine sea salt taste before adding - shellfish are already salty
• to taste black pepper

Method

 

Make the scialatielli

1. Mound the flour on a clean work surface and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, milk, chopped basil, and salt.
2. Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually drawing in flour from the inner wall of the well until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Knead the dough with the heel of your hand for 8-10 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. Wrap in cling film and rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
4. Roll the dough out to about 3 mm thick and cut into strips roughly 5-7 mm wide and 10-12 cm long. Dust lightly with flour and set aside on a floured tray.

Cook the seafood

1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a wide deep skillet over high heat. Add the squid rings and tentacles and cook for 2 minutes without stirring, until opaque. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining olive oil and the sliced garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until pale golden and fragrant, not brown.
3. Add the chili flakes if using, then the cherry tomatoes. Cook for 3 minutes, pressing them gently with the back of the spoon until they soften and release their juice.
4. Increase heat to high. Add the clams and mussels and pour in the white wine. Cover immediately and cook for 4-5 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until all shells have opened. Discard any that remain closed.
5. Add the shrimp and cook uncovered for 2 minutes until pink and just curled. Remove the pan from heat while you finish the pasta.

Cook and finish the pasta

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the fresh scialatielli for 2-3 minutes until almost al dente - they should still have a slight bite.
2. Reserve a full ladle of pasta cooking water before draining. Drain the scialatielli.
3. Return the seafood pan to medium heat. Add the scialatielli to the pan along with 3-4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together for 1-2 minutes until the pasta finishes cooking and the sauce coats each strand.
4. Add back the reserved squid, scatter over the parsley, and give one final toss. Taste and adjust seasoning carefully - the shellfish liquid usually provides enough salt.
5. Divide among four warm shallow bowls. Drizzle with a little cold-pressed olive oil and serve immediately.

Notes

If you're using dried scialatielli, the total cook time stays the same but start the pasta water earlier - dried pasta takes 10-12 minutes and should hit the pan sauce while still slightly undercooked.

Tips for Success

• Purge clams in cold, salted water for at least 30 minutes before cooking to flush out hidden sand.
• Add scialatielli to the pan 1 minute before they’re fully cooked so they absorb the seafood broth as they finish.
• Cook squid rings first over high heat for 2 minutes, then remove and add back at the end to avoid rubbery texture.
• Reserve a full ladle of pasta cooking water before draining – starchy water tightens the sauce without clouding it.
• Use a wide, deep skillet rather than a saucepan so the pasta and seafood can be tossed together without piling up.

Variations

• Rosso version: add 200 g crushed San Marzano tomatoes for a deeper, richer red base sauce.
• Spicy Calabrian twist: stir in 1 tsp Calabrian chili paste with the garlic at the start.
• Bottarga finish: shave dried mullet bottarga over the plated pasta instead of parsley for a more intense briny note.

Storage and Reheating

Scialatielli ai frutti di mare is best eaten immediately. Shellfish tighten and the pasta continues to absorb sauce as it sits, so there’s no ideal way to hold it.

If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water or white wine, covered, for 3-4 minutes.

Do not freeze. Cooked shellfish becomes tough and grainy after freezing, and the pasta texture won’t survive the process.

Serving Suggestions

Serve scialatielli ai frutti di mare straight from the pan into wide, shallow pasta bowls. A handful of flat-leaf parsley, a drizzle of cold-pressed olive oil, and a wedge of lemon on the side are all it needs.

A simple green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil works well alongside, or a few slices of grilled bread to catch the sauce at the bottom of the bowl.

For wine, pour a chilled Campanian white – Fiano di Avellino, Falanghina del Sannio, or a Greco di Tufo all cut through the briny sauce cleanly, the same regional pairing that works with bold Campanian pasta dishes.

FAQ

Why are my clams still closed after cooking scialatielli ai frutti di mare?

Clams that stay shut after 5-6 minutes of covered cooking over medium-high heat should be discarded – they were likely dead before they went in. Make sure the pan is hot enough and covered when you add the shellfish so the steam builds quickly.

Can I use dried scialatielli instead of fresh for this recipe?

Yes, dried scialatielli works well here. Cook it in well-salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package directions, then finish it in the pan with the seafood sauce so it absorbs the broth.

How do I know when the squid is cooked through without it getting chewy?

Squid rings turn from translucent to opaque white in about 2 minutes over high heat – that’s when they’re done. Pull them out of the pan at that point and add them back only when you toss the pasta at the very end.

What is the difference between scialatielli ai frutti di mare and spaghetti alle vongole?

Spaghetti alle vongole uses only clams and is a Naples classic in its own right, much like the bold pantry-driven pastas that define the city’s cooking. Scialatielli ai frutti di mare is a broader mixed seafood dish from the Amalfi Coast that includes mussels, shrimp, and squid alongside clams, and the pasta itself is thicker and chewier.

Is scialatielli ai frutti di mare dairy free?

Traditional scialatielli dough is made with a small amount of whole milk, which makes the pasta slightly dairy-containing. You can substitute water or a splash of white wine in the dough to make it dairy free without changing the texture much.

What can I serve before scialatielli ai frutti di mare at a seafood dinner?

Keep the antipasto light so the pasta stays the centerpiece – grilled octopus with lemon, a small Italian seafood salad, or a simple bruschetta with tuna work well. Avoid anything cream-based or heavy before this dish.