Ingredients
- 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil
- 250 g (9 oz) angel hair pasta, roughly broken
- 1 onion, quartered
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1½ teaspoons ground sweet paprika
- a pinch of chilli flakes
- 625 ml (21½ fl oz/2½ cups) chicken or vegetable stock
- a large pinch of saffron threads (optional)
- 12 mussels, bearded and scrubbed
- 12 raw king prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined, tails left intact
- 300 g (10½ oz) cleaned small squid tubes, cut into rings
- 1 small handful coriander (cilantro) leaves
Method
1. Heat half the olive oil in a large (26 cm/10½ inch), deep heavy-based frying pan. Add the pasta pieces and stir for 2–3 minutes, or until light brown all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Put the onion, tomatoes, garlic, paprika and chilli flakes in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not puréed. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan and add the tomato mixture. Cook over medium heat for 10–12 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened a little, stirring often.
3. Stir in the stock, saffron if using, and pasta, pushing the pasta down so it is covered with liquid. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium–low and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add all the seafood, pushing the pieces into the mixture to cover them well. Cook for a further 5–8 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked and the mussels have opened — discard any mussels that don't open. By now the liquid should be absorbed and the pasta cooked.
5. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle with the coriander, divide among warm bowls and serve at once.
