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A Taste of Sicily (arnos grove style)

40 min • 4 to 6 servings •
Sam Lassman Watts

40 min •     4 to 6 servings•

Sam Lassman Watts

Seafood pasta with mussels, shrimp, and calamari in tomato sauce on a white plate, placed on a wooden kitchen counter near a stove.

I’d decide to stay. It was a risk I was willing to take for the greater good. I’m not a fan of fish, never have been, not since I ate an anchovy stuffed olive by accident when I was five. 21 years later and I’m still slightly ambivalent, even after taking my first steps towards eating them slimy, scaly, smelly creatures earlier in the year after a bit of a binge drinking session. That day seemed like a dream and my friends cherished my face as I gulped down Oysters, Scallops, Prawns and more! Last night was different, not a drop of alcohol had passed my lips and I was just stopping by to pick up my Sicilian friend and after a few minutes was invited to stay for dinner. They’d just had a delivery that morning from Billingsgate Fish Market, one of the guys who works in the Italian embassy had traded a night shift for a delivery of fish. I was gestured toward the table and Gianni cried are you ready for a taste of Sicily? A metal bucket was dumped on the table filled with linguine, mussels and a fantastico arrabiata sauce with King Prawns and Squid. It was a marvellous treat and sitting there engrossed in Italian conversation only made it better.

Ready

  • King Prawns, mussels and squid
  • White Wine
  • Tomatoes (skinned)
  • Chopped garlic
  • Fresh Chilli
  • Red Wine
  • Linguine
  • 2 Lemons, juiced
  • Olive Oil

    • Set

  • Plates

    • Go!

  • First up clean the mussels, off with their beards!
  • Put them in a large pan with a glass of white wine and cook until they have opened up (about 3-4 mins)
  • Skin the tomatoes by blanching them in boiling water and then smash them up.
  • Put some water on for the Linguine
  • Heat the olive oil in a big pan and throw the tomatoes, garlic and chilli in. Gently cook, adding a glass of red wine after 5 mins.
  • Put the linguine into the boiling water and cook it for 10 mins until al dente.
  • Meanwhile lightly fry the prawns adding the Squid after a few mins. Place into the sauce when they are cooked through. About four mins.
  • Drain the linguine and throw in the mussels, the lemon juice and a big glug of olive oil.
  • Pour over the sauce with the prawns and the squid and stir well listening to the clinking of the mussels.
  • Serve up with a bunch of friends and more olive oil.

    • Recommendations

    For more of my bits and pieces check out www.theothersidemag.co.uk/sam

    Italian linguine olive oil prawns

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