Seafood recipes from the Amalfi Coast

The spectacular cassuola is named after the copper casserole pan it is usually served in. It is a mixture of what fish is available at the market, including langoustines, squid, mussels and clams. Often it is made with only crustaceans but it works just as well with fish too.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1kg mixed fish and shellfish, such as clams, mussels, crayfish, squid, cuttlefish, gurnard and stone bass
1 shallot or 1⁄2 white onion
2 large garlic cloves
6 anchovy fillets
1 tbsp capers, drained
Handful of parsley
1⁄2 red chilli, depending on strength
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp tomato purée
100g canned or fresh roughly chopped tomatoes, depending on season and flavour
300ml hot water or hot fish stock
4 slices of white crusty bread, toasted

To prepare:

1. First, pick over the shellfish, discarding any open or broken shells. Drop the clams into a bowl from a 15cm height so that any that are open and dead or full of sand will split open and can be discarded. Clean any barnacles off the mussels and pull off the beards. Discard any that don’t close. Cut any fish into 4cm cubes and the squid or cuttlefish into 1cm rings or pieces. Set aside.

2. Using a large knife, finely chop the shallot or onion, one garlic clove, the anchovies, capers, parsley and chilli together. Heat the oil in a heavy-based casserole dish and fry the mixture slowly with a good pinch of salt and black pepper for ten minutes. Add the tomato purée, then stir in the tomatoes.

3. Season the squid and cuttlefish with salt and add to the pan. Pour in the hot water or fish stock and cook for about 15 minutes and add the fish. After 15 minutes, add the shellfish.

4. Cook for a further 5–10 minutes until all the shells have opened, discarding any that haven’t. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

5. Rub the toasted bread lightly with the remaining garlic and lay one slice in each serving bowl. Pour the soup over the top and serve immediately.