One of the benefits of living on Canada’s East Coast is direct access to Fishermen. Whether you go down to the wharf with coffee to meet the incoming boats or hit up one of the countless fish trucks along the highway or rural suburbs, you’re guaranteed fresh, high-quality shellfish.

I love picking out the largest Digby scallops I can find, the most vibrant blue mussels, and the biggest jumbo shrimp. Usually, I will let the quality of the shellfish speak for itself, and serve it up individually after a quick pan sear with some lemon juice. But occasionally, it’s fun to toss them all together in a great pasta dish.

I love making pasta from scratch. It’s so quick and easy and makes such a noticeable difference to the texture of your dish. It’s worth the extra 20 minutes. For this dish, I made the pasta from scratch and picked the tomatoes and basil from our garden.

Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe
1 Farm Fresh Egg
1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt
1 to 1.5 Cups of 00 Flour
2-3 Tablespoons of Water
Splash of Olive Oil

Directions for Pasta Making

1: In a medium-sized bowl (or stand mixer), mix the 00 flour and sea salt together. Make a well in the center, and drop in your egg. Add a dash of olive oil, and begin mixing.

2: Add water a Tablespoon at a time, until your dough is the right consistency. It should be firm, and able to maintain its shape.

3: Knead the dough for about 3 to 4 minutes.

4: Wrap, and set aside.

Recipe for Tomato and Seafood Sauce
4-5 Jumbo Scallops
1/4 Pound of Mussels
6-10 Clams
6 – 10 Shrimp
5-10 Fresh tomatoes
Fresh Basil Leaves
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Cracked Peppercorns
3-4 Oz Dry Red Wine
3-4 Oz Dry White Wine
2-3 Minced Garlic Gloves
1/4 Finley Diced Onion
Splash of Seafood Broth or Clam Juice

Instructions for the Pasta and Tomato Seafood Sauce

I find it is best to cook some of the shellfish prior to making your pasta. This way you can toss your sauce on fresh pasta before it gets dry or sticky.

1: In a wide, shallow pot on medium heat, saute diced onion and minced garlic in olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper.

2: Dice your fresh tomatoes and drop them in the pan. Add your dry red wine and a splash of seafood broth or clam juice. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to a simmer. The tomatoes will break down in the liquid, forming a sauce-like consistency.

3: In a second pot, bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil. Add your white wine and some sea salt. Once your water is boiling, drop in your mussels and clams and cover the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes. When they are completely open, they have been sufficiently steamed. Note: Never force open a mussel or clam that has not opened during steaming. It is possible they are not safe to eat.

4: Remove from the heat and set aside.

5: In a frying pan, sprinkle olive oil and turn to medium-high heat. Allow the pan to heat up, then drop your scallops. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sear off both ends of the scallops, then remove from the heat.

6: Put your cooked shellfish and shrimp into your tomato sauce, and toss around in the pan. Turn heat to low.

Instructions for Assembling Pasta

7: Unwrap your prepared pasta dough and roll it to your desired thickness. This can be done with a rolling pin, or with a pasta roller. I use the pasta roller on my KitchenAid stand mixer, and take it to the smallest setting (about an 8). You can find details on the KitchenAid pasta attachment on their website: https://www.kitchenaid.com

8: Once your pasta is finely rolled, use a knife or your attachment to cut your pasta into skinny strips of linguini or spaghettini.

9: Boil a pot of water, and sprinkle in sea salt. Carefully drop your freshly cut pasta into the water. Fresh pasta takes considerably less time to cook than dry pasta. It will be ready in 1-3 minutes, so keep an eye on it. Once your pasta is ready, strain it.

10: Toss your pasta into the tomato and seafood sauce. Serve with lemons, fresh basil, buttered bread, and fresh pepper.

Enjoy!