Pirate's spaghetti
One of the family's favourite even when the kids were younger
1 (or 2 if you are making a fat bastard size meal or the bags are small) defrosted bag of mixed seafood (normally found in freezer section of the supermarket; usually contains prawns [shrimp], mussels and squid; debeard the mussels if required
olive oil
coarsely chopped garlic
dry white wine - remember the Keith Floyd rule, don’t cook with it if you don’t drink it so pour out a large glass for the chef and the rest is for the dish. An alternative is 1 part pale dry sherry and 2 parts dry white wine for deeper flavour
tomato puree
tin of chopped tomatoes - 2 if you are making a big dish
chopped onion
tin/jar of anchovy fillets
bay leaves
ground sea salt
ground black pepper
lost of mixed dried herbs of choice such as basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme
veg or fish stock
spaghetti or other long pasta
fresh crusty bread of choice for dunking - french stick or slices of ciabatta that can be doused with extra virgin oil and coarse sea salt are our favourites
heat the olive oil in a pan to a medium temperature
gently fry the garlic and onions until onions are going translucent
add the anchovy fillets
pour in the wine(/sherry mix)
add the bay leaves, dried herbs and black pepper
bring to the boil and reduce by about 1/3rd
add the tomato puree and stir
add the tinned tomatoes and stir
add the stock
boil for about 5-10 mins then turn down to a gentle simmer
taste and add salt and more pepper and herbs if required
put on a lid and simmer very gently for 1 hour to concentrate the flavours - can be cooked this far in advance then turned off and left then brought back to temperature when you want it hours later
taste for seasoning
cook the pasta as directed on packet
while pasta is draining add the seafood to the sauce, turn up the heat to a simmer and heat through/cook the seafood
put pasta in a bowl and put a really good spoonful of the seafood sauce
serve with the bread dunking in the sauce and mopping up as required
eat it with a spoon and fork twiddling the spaghetti as Italians do - do NOT cut it into little pieces like certain uncouth uncultured persons do who then spoon it into their gobs in huge mouthfuls (shudder shudder, one of my pet hates, teach your kids/you learn how to eat long pasta properly please. Make a grumpy old man happy parents).