Seafood Medley With Fusilli Corti Bucati

Looking back at my recent posts, it seems I’m on a seafood kick of late. I’ve been fortunate enough to find some good quality fresh seafood and I recently also found a really good frozen seafood product.

For years I’ve seen frozen bags of mixed seafood at the grocery store but the quality was sub-par, what with teeny shrimp, imitation crab and rubbery cuttlefish.

I found this seafood medley to contain mussels, shrimp, calamari and octopus – all Aces for my appetite.

I also had been meaning to try out a new pasta shape, Fusilli Corti Bucati. This pasta is native to Calabria, southern Italy which means it’s located at the “toe” of the Italian peninsula.

I chose this pasta because of it’s corkscrew shape which is supposed to be good for thick, rich sauces, like my Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

The last time I used this roasted red pepper sauce was with my Lobster Linguine and I was craving this sauce again. I don’t want to be labeled a Bourgeoisie so, I opted for the Pauper’s version with the seafood medley.

As expected, the pasta dish was delicious, not too difficult to prepare and dramatic in it’s appearance.

As a short cut, I’ve been pre-roasting cherry tomatoes and red peppers, then freezing them for future use in dishes like these.

If you’re like me and you love tomatoes all year ’round but despise tasteless winter tomatoes, then opt for cherry tomatoes.

Cherry (or grape tomatoes) are the only ones that in fact retain a good flavour in the winter months. Be sure that your cherry tomatoes are locally grown and the hot-house variety. Otherwise, you’ll biting into a tomato that tastes like it’s been bumping around in the back of a semi-truck.

Seafood Medley With Fusilli Corti Bucati
(for 4)

1 package of seafood medley (thawed)
1 package of Fusilli Corti Bucati
2 pints of cherry tomatoes, roasted
1 red bell pepper, roasted
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of dry white wine
1 Tbsp. of smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
splash of heavy cream

1. Pre-roast your cherry tomatoes and red pepper by placing them in a vessel, drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a preheated 450F oven for 30-45 minutes or until the skins are blistered. Turn the heat off in the oven and allow the residual heat to continue roasting the tomatoes and peppers for another half hour.
2. Take the tomatoes and pepper out of the oven. Place your red pepper in a paper or plastic bag and allow it to sweat for 30 minutes. When it’s cool enough to handle, peel the charred skins from the pepper and remove the seeds.
3. Add your cherry tomatoes, juices and roasted red pepper and puree in a food processor or blender. Reserve.
4. Get a large pot of water to boil and season generously with salt when boiling commences. Cook your fusilli according to the package’s instructions.
5. In a large skillet, heat your olive oil on medium-high heat and add the seafood. Saute for the seafood to take some colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
6. Add your onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes on medium heat so that they soften. Add your tomato and red pepper puree, paprika, chili flakes and the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low and simmer until the sauce has the sauce has thickened.
7. Add your chopped basil, cream and adjust seasoning.
8. Strain your pasta (reserve some pasta water) and toss your pasta with the sauce and the seafood medley. Add some pasta water if you want the sauce to be a little looser.