Seafood Gratin Pasta

In this recipe, using fresh seafood instead of frozen makes a big difference as it is full of sea flavor.
More and more people are looking for alternatives for a gluten-free diet.
If you want to make the recipe with gluten, you can use pasta made with wheat and substitute the tapioca starch with wheat flour.

Neuza Costa

18 May, 2023

Ingredients:

• 500 g (17.6 oz) of defrosted shrimp
• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of clams without sand
• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of mussels
• 300 g (10.6 oz) of gluten-free pasta of your choice (I used lentil penne pasta)
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• The white part of 2 leeks cut into slices
• 2 ripe tomatoes cut into cubes
• 300 g (10.6 oz) of sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 heaping tablespoons of tomato pulp
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 chopped garlic cloves
• 4 level tablespoons of sweet or sour tapioca starch
• 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) of fresh cream
• 200 g (7.1 oz) of grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 bay leaves
• Chopped parsley
• Salt
• Pepper
• Nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Peel the shrimp, reserve the shells, and remove the intestine.
2. In a pot with plenty of boiling water, add salt, half a tablespoon of olive oil, and the pasta.
   Stir well with a fork and let it cook for the time indicated on the package.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pan, place the clams and mussels.
   Cover and cook on high heat for 5 to 10 minutes until all the shellfish open.
4. After the pasta is cooked, remove it and drain it.
   Rinse the pasta lightly with running water so that it does not cook further.
5. After the shellfish open, remove from the heat and let it cool a bit.
6. In another pot with half a liter of water, add a little salt and the shrimp shells.
   Let it boil for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the shellfish meat and reserve.
   Also, reserve the broth that remained at the bottom of the pan.
8. In a cloth strainer, strain 300 ml (10.2 fl oz) of broth from the shrimp shells and 300 ml (10.2 fl oz) of broth that you reserved from the shellfish (mussels and clams) to make a total of 600 ml (20.3 fl oz).
   To the broth, add the tapioca starch and stir very well with a whisk.
9. In a pot, heat the butter, onion, and garlic.
   Stir and let it simmer without browning.
   To the sautéed mixture, add the broth mixed with the tapioca starch.
   Stir with a whisk and when it starts to thicken, add the cream.
   Mix well and turn off the heat.
10. Season with a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
    Stir well and reserve.
11. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining olive oil, bay leaves, leeks, and tomato.
    Stir and let it simmer very well until the tomato begins to break down.
    To the sautéed mixture, add the mushrooms and let them cook until they release their water.
12. After everything is well cooked, add the shrimp.
    Season with salt and pepper.
    Sauté everything very well until the shrimp gain color.
    Remove the bay leaves.
13. Add the shellfish meat, tomato pulp, and chopped parsley.
    Mix well.
    Finally, mix in the white sauce you prepared.
14. In a baking dish, spread half of the prepared mixture at the bottom.
    On top of it, put the pasta and cover with the remaining sauce.
    Finally, sprinkle everything with the grated cheese.
15. Place in a preheated oven at 190 °C (375 °F) and let it gratinate for approximately 25 minutes.
    Once it's golden brown, remove it from the oven and serve. Enjoy your meal!

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