Fettuccine with Shellfish, Tomatoes & Olive
Submitted by erbard
Fettuccine with shrimp, sea scallops, fresh tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers, and anchovies in a garlicky olive oil sauce. A bold Italian seafood pasta in 25 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
25 minThis fettuccine brings together shrimp and sea scallops in a rustic Italian sauce built on fresh tomatoes, Kalamata olives, capers, and anchovies. No cream in sight. The sauce gets its body from 2 pounds of ripe tomatoes cooked down over high heat until thick and concentrated.
The anchovies melt into the sauce completely during those 10 minutes of cooking. They’re not there for fishiness. They add a deep, savory umami backbone that makes everything else taste more like itself. If you think you don’t like anchovies, you won’t even know they’re there.
Capers and Kalamata olives deliver the salty, briny punch that makes this a Mediterranean pasta rather than a generic tomato-and-seafood dish. Those two ingredients do the heavy lifting on seasoning so you barely need salt.
The shellfish goes in at the very end for just 2 minutes. That’s critical. Shrimp and scallops overcook fast, and rubbery seafood ruins an otherwise great pasta. Halving the scallops horizontally means they cook at the same rate as the shrimp.
Chef Tips
- Use ripe, in-season tomatoes for the best sauce. Out of season, canned San Marzano tomatoes work better than pale, mealy fresh ones
- Toss the drained pasta with 2 tablespoons of olive oil immediately to prevent clumping before it goes into the sauce
- Cook the pasta just short of al dente since it finishes cooking in the hot sauce
- A full tablespoon of garlic is bold. Adjust down if you prefer it subtler
Variations
- With white wine: Deglaze the pan with ½ cup of dry white wine after the tomatoes soften for a brighter, more acidic sauce
- Spicy version: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for a fra diavolo-style kick
Ingredients
Directions
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy skillet over high heat.
Add tomatoes, capers, anchovies and garlic and cook until tomatoes release their juices and mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Add shrimp and sea scallops and sauté just until cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Mix in Kalamata olives.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm enough to bite, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Drain. Transfer pasta to bowl. Toss with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Add pasta to seafood mixture and toss to heat through.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide among plates and serve.
- Black, brine-cured Kalamata olives are available at Greek and Italian markets and some supermarkets.
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