A “Calabrian-style” take on the sea, garlic, and chili peppers: captivated by this southern Italian recipe, Lidia Bastianich has reimagined its bold flavors—but always with her signature magic touch, blending professional technique with home-style cooking.
The Chef
Among the countless variations of seafood sauce found throughout the peninsula,Lidia Bastianich’s “souvenir” version fits squarely within a very specific framework: that of unpretentious regional cuisine, free of frills and rooted in the authenticity of the local area. Author of books popular overseas, including *Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen* and the culinary travel guide *Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy*, the chef has made the sharing of classic recipes the key to her success.
The Dish, Between Calabria and America
In the chapter dedicated to Calabria, the flavor profile is deliberately bold. Whereas other coastal areas favor a barely noticeable sauté, here the dish’s structure is based on a generous amount of garlic (a full six “meaty” cloves) and the sharp kick of red pepper flakes. The garlic is sliced, slowly browned to release its essential oils, and immediately combined with the natural sweetness of cherry tomatoes and seafood. This is no random choice: the heat and pungent aroma of the garlic serve to balance the richness of the sauce and the savory flavor of the shrimp, squid, and scallops, creating a sharp contrast.
"Almost all of Italy's coastal regions (fifteen out of twenty!) have their own version of fish sauce to top a plate of pasta. This recipe comes from Calabria, a region with a coastline rich in fish and where you can enjoy the best spicy pasta in Italy. I visited Calabria during my trip for “Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy” and was thrilled to bring this dish back with me to America“
Below is the recipe as shared by the famous chef, with ”Italian-style" measurements to make it easier to prepare at home, while maintaining the original balance between seafood and sautéed vegetables.
Calabrian-Style Seafood Spaghetti
Serves 6
Ingredients
- Spaghetti: 450 g
- Medium squid (cleaned): 225 g
- Fresh or well-dried scallops: 225 g
- Large shrimp (peeled and deveined): 450 g
- Fleshy garlic: 6 large cloves, peeled and sliced
- Extra virgin olive oil: 60 ml for the soffritto + 30 ml (2 tablespoons) to serve
- Cherry tomatoes: 600 g, halved (alternatively: 400 g crushed peeled tomatoes)
- Red chili flakes: ½ teaspoon (about 1.5 g, or to taste)
- Fine salt: 1 teaspoon for the sauce + coarse salt for the pasta water
- Fresh chopped basil: 15 g
- Fresh chopped parsley: 4 g (about 1 tablespoon)
Instructions
Pasta water:
Bring a large pot with at least 6 liters of water to a boil and add just under 1 tablespoon of coarse salt.
Preparing the seafood:
Cut the squid (bodies and tentacles) into rings about 1.2 cm thick. Remove the adductor muscle from the scallops. Clean the shrimp by removing the shells, tails, and black intestinal vein; rinse them and pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels.
High-Impact Sauté (Garlic & Chili Pepper):
Heat 60 ml of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 6 sliced garlic cloves and let them brown for 1–2 minutes until they begin to sizzle. Add the cherry tomatoes, fine salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes are softened but still partially whole.
Cooking the Pasta and Seafood:
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water. In the pan with the sauce, first add the squid and cook over high heat for 1–2 minutes. Then add the scallops, and after another 2 minutes, add the shrimp along with a ladleful of the pasta cooking water. Simmer for about 3 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink.
Tossing and Plating:
Drain the pasta when it’s very al dente and add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss for 1–2 minutes over high heat to coat the spaghetti well. Turn off the heat, then add the basil, parsley, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of raw olive oil. Stir to combine and serve immediately on warm plates, distributing the seafood evenly over each portion.
