Sweet Sea Paccheri

Sweet Sea Paccheri is a dish that blends the robust and substantial paccheri pasta with a flavorful seafood sauce, likely enriched by a touch of sweetness. Since this is not a well-known traditional dish and “sweet sea” may be a creative name, I can offer my personal interpretation of the recipe. Let’s take a look together.

Ingredients

• 320 g paccheri
• 400 g mixed seafood (for example mussels, clams, shrimp, squid)
• 200 g cherry tomatoes
• 1 glass dry white wine
• 1 garlic clove
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon sugar (the “sweet” element that could be interpreted as “sweet sea”)

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the seafood: for mussels and clams, let them purge in salted water and then scrub them with a scouring pad. For shrimp and squid, clean them and cut the squid into rings.
2. Cook the paccheri in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions, but drain them al dente.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet and sauté the garlic in extra-virgin olive oil. When golden, remove it and add the seafood.
4. Deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
5. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until they start to break down.
6. Add the sugar, which brings that touch of sweetness, mix well and let a light sauce form.
7. Drain the paccheri and transfer them to the skillet with the seafood sauce, tossing to coat and combine with the sauce.
8. Adjust salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

Note: The touch of sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes and the savoriness of the seafood, so add it with caution to avoid an overly sweet dish.

Curiosities

The use of sugar in cooking, not only in desserts but also in savory dishes, is a custom in some cuisines around the world, such as Asian cuisine, where sweet and salty often balance perfectly in dishes.

I hope this interpretation of the recipe aligns with what you were looking for. Enjoy your meal!