Seafood cavatelli

To make the seafood cavatelli, first soak the three types of clams in cold water with coarse salt. You’ll need three different bowls and a couple of hours to soak the clams 1. You’ll also have to change the water every once in a while. Now turn to making the dough for the cavatelli: Add the semolina and salt 2 into a bowl. Pour the water in slowly while kneading by hand 3.

Once all the ingredients have come together 4, transfer to a pastry board and knead for 5-10 minutes 5. Shape the dough into a small ball, wrap in plastic wrap 6, and leave to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Once rested, take a portion of the dough, keeping the rest covered so it doesn’t dry out 7. Roll out the dough, creating a sausage shape around ?-½ inch (1 cm) thick 8. Next, cut this dough sausage into pieces of around ?-½ inch (1 cm) 9.

Add another pinch of semolina and shape the cavatelli. Use the long part of your thumb to help press down and, at the same time, drag the piece of dough forward 10: This is how you’ll get the first cavatello 11. Arrange the cavatelli on a floured tray as you shape them, repeating these steps until you’ve used up all the dough 12.

Next, wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them into quarters 13. Add them to a pan with a drizzle of oil 14, let them sizzle for a few moments, and then lower the heat. Add a pinch of salt and let them cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Now clean the mussels under running water 15, using a small knife to remove any impurities on the shell and the beard (byssus). 

Move on to the sauce: Cut into one of the chili peppers 16, and then add some oil, one garlic clove, and the chili to a pot. Heat the oil and add the smooth clams 17 and razor clams 18.

Cover the pot with a lid 19 and wait a few minutes for the clams to open. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in another pot along with the other clove of garlic and chili pepper, which you’ve also cut into, and add the mussels 20 and cockles 21. 

Cover this pot with a lid 22 and allow the mollusks to open 23. Now go back to the first pot with the smooth clams and European razor clams, which should have opened 24.

Drain the seafood, saving the cooking water 25 and setting aside. Remove the shells from a good part of the mollusks, leaving some in their shells to be used to decorate the dish 26. Heat another pot full of water and, once boiling, add salt and cook your fresh cavatelli until they’re al dente 27. It will only take a few minutes.

Add some of the seafood cooking water 28 to the cherry tomatoes, then drain the cavatelli and pour them straight into the pan with the sauce 29. Stir and add additional cooking water, if needed, while you allow the flavors to develop. Turn off the heat and add both the shelled seafood and the mollusks still in their shells 30.   

Sprinkle over chopped parsley and a pinch of black pepper 31. Finish off the dish with a drizzle of oil 32 and serve your seafood cavatelli right away 33.