Marinara

For our fancy Saturday night dinner this weekend we made a simple though very very delicious and elegant Pasta Marinara; oversized pasta shells with a fragrant fishy tomato sauce and a mix of shrimp, mussels, clams, and squid. Paired with a crisp and very cold Italian white wine. Marinara sauce is quickly becoming my personal favorite, much more exciting and delicious than the regular plain tomato sauce variation.

Recipe: Pasta Marinara

Ingredients:

• Mixed Seafood (I chose a frozen ready mix at my local grocery store, though one could of course use a mix of fresh/canned or frozen.)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 glass or so white wine (either what you're drinking or purchase an extra small bottle like we did.)
• Fish stock (one stock cube or equivalent)
• pad of butter
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 carrot diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced or crushed
• 1/2 fresh red chili de-seeded and minced
• pinch sugar
• fresh parsley for garnish

Start by heating a frying pan and melting the butter. Add the seafood for a few seconds to flavor the butter. Remove the seafood and set a side. Add more butter if needed and slowly sweat the onions and the carrots. Once soft begin to add the garlic, chili and sugar. Stir for a few minutes until fragrant. Then add the crushed tomatoes, fish stock and the wine. Allow to simmer for at least 15 minutes on medium low heat, better for 30 minutes. If the sauce reduces too much and becomes too thick add more wine.

In the mean time cook your choice of pasta, we choose Lumaconi. Once the pasta is al dente and drained. Add the seafood to the sauce to warm through (not too long though or it will get chewy) also add the fresh parsley at this time. Then combine the sauce with the pasta and serve right away.

We added a bit of parmesan (sometimes seen as a no no with Italians) but it's yummy, so go for it!

Enjoy!