In this version from America’s Test Kitchen, we made a few changes based on what we had on hand, or preferred to use. Since Yours Truly doesn’t like mussels, but we had a couple of recently purchased lobster tails in the freezer, they became the star of the show.
In addition, instead of a 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, we used a quart of our homemade marinara sauce. Otherwise we finished the recipe as written. And it was amazing!
We made it for just the two of us with enough leftovers for two more servings, although we cooked only two lobster tails the night of the dinner. For leftovers, you can either steam two more tails or forego them altogether. If serving four guests at once, of course use all four lobster tails.
This ever-popular Italian American restaurant classic consists of an abundant amount of mixed seafood (shrimp, scallops, and lobster tails in our version) and pasta tossed in a rich, homemade marinara sauce. To make the recipe doable at home, most of the ingredients cook in the same pot, and the pasta gets just enough flavorful liquid to hydrate and fully soften. Not only does this method simplify cleanup, but it also ensures that every element of the dish is infused with fresh seafood flavor.
We started by making a potent mix of garlic, white wine, tomato paste, and fiery red pepper flakes, making a flavorful cooking liquid as a base for the sauce. After adding a quart of our homemade marinara sauce and a bottle of clean-tasting, briny clam juice (to enhance the seafood presence in the sauce), we brought the liquid to a boil, and added the linguine to cook through and soak up the flavors of the sauce.
Once the pasta was nearly cooked through, we tossed in the quick-cooking shrimp and scallops, and after just a few minutes, they were gently cooked through to perfection. For a bright, spicy finish we stirred in the chopped pickled cherry peppers and fresh parsley, then topped our plates with a steamed lobster tail and a swirl of good extra-virgin olive oil.
NOTES: If you’re spice-averse, use a lesser amount of pepper flakes and cherry peppers. Different brands of linguine will cook at different rates and absorb different amounts of liquid; you may not need to add any hot water in Step 5, but having some on hand provides insurance against the pasta being too dry.
Seafood Fra Diavolo
Ingredients
- 12-oz. extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 12-oz. large sea scallops, tendons removed, cut in half horizontally
- 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling
- 7 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- ¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
- 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed
- 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 1–1½ tsp.red pepper flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
- 4 lobster tails
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes; OR 1 qt. of homamade marina sauce
- 1 (8-oz.) bottle clam juice
- 12-oz. linguine
- Hot water
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1–2 Tbsp. chopped jarred hot cherry peppers, plus 1 Tbsp. brine
Directions
- Toss shrimp and scallops with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Combine anchovies, remaining ¼ cup oil, and remaining garlic in large Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until garlic is just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes, breaking up anchovies with wooden spoon.
- Add tomato paste, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste begins to darken, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, cover and cook, stirring pot occasionally, for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add canned tomatoes and their juice (or homemade marinara), clam juice, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to pot. Using a potato masher, mash tomatoes in pot until coarsely pureed. (Not necessary if using homemade marina.)
- Bring tomato mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta (it needn’t be fully submerged) and cook, stirring often, until strands are flexible but still slightly firm in center, 6 to 10 minutes. (If sauce begins to dry up before pasta is done, add hot water, ½ cup at a time, and continue cooking pasta. Begin checking pasta 2 minutes shy of package instructions; it should be nearly cooked to your liking before adding seafood.)
- Add water to a separate pot with a steamer basket, bring to a boil, drop in the lobster tails and cover, steaming for 3 minutes. Remove tails from pot set aside.
- While the lobster is steaming, stir shrimp and scallops into red sauce and cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is al dente and seafood is opaque, about 3 minutes.
- Off heat, add parsley, cherry peppers and brine, and toss to combine. (Pasta sauce will continue to thicken. Adjust consistency with additional hot water as needed.) Season with salt to taste.
- Serve, sprinkled with extra pepper flakes (optional), topped with lobster tails and drizzled with extra oil.
Recipe by Matthew Fairman for America’s Test Kitchen
Accounting for Taste 
i remember this recipe from a book that i got in Chicago. This book has the recipes of the bad groups in the 1930’s. Then i made it, its a generous, exquisite and luxurious dish.
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