Anna Sultana’s Linguine All’astice - Linguine with Lobster / how to butcher a lobster

Got an email asking if I have the recipe for Linguine All’astice.

Yes, I have the recipe.

And now you do, too.

Linguine All’astice is simply Linguine with lobster in a very basic sauce.

The sauce is a cinch.

The lobster… not so much.

I’ll let you in on a secret: Ma served this with frozen jumbo prawns.

The ones that are about 22 to the pound.

Much simpler.

Live lobsters are a bit intimidating.

Remember the boiling lobster scene in Annie Hall?

And Julie had to live with the guilt of being a lobster killer in Julie & Julia.

They just had to toss the lobsters into a pot and boil them.

Linguine All’astice calls for a butchered lobster.

Not fun, but it can be done.

First thing:

Knock back a few stiff drinks to steady your nerves.

DO NOT remove the rubber bands that keep the lobster claws shut.

Wear oven mitts to protect yourself.

Okay… here we go:

Place a LIVE lobster upside down on a cutting board.

Hold the lobster by the tail and plunge the point of a heavy knife into the body,

where the tail joins the chest, and cut off the tail.

Continue hacking up the lobster at the joints into 2 inch chunks.

Crack the claws.
That's one dead lobster.

Remove the rubber bands.

Frozen jumbo shrimp are smaller and a quicker cook.

Do the frying part until they're almost pink, then remove them from the pot.

Add the other ingredients and simmer.

Add the shrimp for the last 10 minutes.

Hints:

If the sauce is dry, add a little bit of the pasta’s cooking water.  

Don’t add too much.

If the sauce is too watery the sauce will taste mild. 

                        Linguine All’astice 

Serves 4

Prepare as above

2 lobsters (about 1 1/2 pounds each) 

For the Linguine

In a large pot place

4 quarts water

salt to taste

Bring to a boil.

While the sauce is simmering, add

1 pound linguine

Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente.

The pasta will get a bit more cooked in the sauce.

Drain and set aside.

For the Lobster

While waiting for the water to boil, start the sauce.

Into a large heavy saucepan pour

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Add

1 clove garlic, chopped finely

Fry the garlic until it turns golden.

Add

the prepared lobsters 

Cook them until they turn orange, about 5 minutes. 

Add

1 Cup dry white wine

Cook another 2 minutes.  

Add

1 29 to 35 ounce can Italian tomatoes, chopped

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer  15 minutes.

Add

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Add

the drained cooked pasta.

Toss the pasta until it is coated.

Cook together for 1 - 2 minutes.

Arrange the pasta in a warm serving bowl or platter.

Sprinkle with

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Top with the lobster.

Drizzle with 

extra virgin olive oil

Serve immediately.

If you enjoyed Linguine All’astice you might also like Carmela Soprano’s Lobster Fra Diavolo / Jumbo Shrimp Fra Diavolo - Seafood in Spicy Tomato Sauce.

It has a bit more of a kick.

And, yes, it can also be made with frozen jumbo prawns.

Carmela Soprano's Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce

The Valentine wish with the picture of the puppy reminded me of the dogs in Disney’s cartoon Lady and the Tramp.

Remember the scene in the restaurant?

The one where they shared a plate of spaghetti to the tune Bella Notte?

Not a bad way to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day.

If you’re craving an Italian dinner but it’s too late to make a reservation in the local Italian restaurant - or you just want to stay home - no problem.

Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce, one of the recipes in Entertaining with the Sopranos which I chatted about back in 2010, would do just fine. 

Make it a dinner and a movie night…

Rent Sophia Loren's Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

This movie goes especially well with Carmela’s Spaghetti Puttanesca.

Hint:

Carmela got a little specific in this recipe:

3 pounds very small clams, such as Manila or mahogany clams, or New Zealand cockles (or mussels).

I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The local stores carry mussels from Prince Edward Island.

So, I made Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce using P. E. I. mussels.

If you are using mussels…

After the mussels have soaked, scrub them with a stiff brush to scrape off any barnacles or seaweed.

Discard any mussels with cracked shells.

Also those that don't close tightly when tapped.

Debeard by pulling the beards toward the narrow end of the shell.

This can be a great recipe for any holiday.

All that prep work probably saves someone from a punch in the nose.

As does Carmela’s recipe for Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce - Zuppa di Cozze.

                        Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce

Serves 4 - 6

With a stiff brush scrub under running water

3 pounds very small clams, such as Manila or mahogany clams, or New Zealand cockles (or mussels) 

Debeard them and place them in a bowl.

Rinse several times until there is no sand left in the bowl.

Throw away the clams with broken shells or ones that don’t close up tightly.

In a dutch oven pour

1/3 Cup olive oil

Add

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

a pinch of crushed red pepper

Cook, stirring over medium heat, for about 2 minutes.

You want the garlic to be lightly golden.

Stir in

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

add

2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half

pinch of salt to 

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are softened about 5 minutes. 

Add the clams, cover the pot, and cook 10 minutes. 

Discard any clams that haven’t opened. 

WHILE THE SAUCE IS SIMMERING:

In a large pot place

4 quarts water

salt to taste

Bring to a boil.

Stir in

1 pound spaghetti or linguine

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.

Set aside 1 Cup of the cooking water.

Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce in the pot.

Cooking over medium heat, toss the pasta until it is coated.

Add some of the reserved cooking water if it seems too dry.

Remove from heat.

Serve immediately.

Ma’s recipe for Homemade Tomato Sauce and Meatballs is easy.

So is Sophia in Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

And, with enough pasta and wine, you can be, too.

Wishing you a Bella Notte.

Carmela Soprano's Lobster Fra Diavolo / Jumbo Shrimp Fra Diavolo - Seafood in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Cards sent…  

You know there'll be a surprise card on December 23 from somebody you barely know.

House clean… It's good enough.  Just allow visitors at night and use candles.

Gifts bought… Well, most of them.
On to step 2: shop the house.

It's time to think of the big day's main course.

Twelve days to the holy feast of Christmas.

Peace on earth, good will toward men.

Yeah, right...

Back to Jennifer's chapter:
Rage, Guilt, Loneliness, and Food in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.

Lobster in Spicy Tomato Sauce with Linguine looks about right.

What is it about Artie's book and my local grocery stores?

Both flyers mentioned there were deals to be had on lobster.

Yeah, well, not in this neighbourhood.

The guys in the meat department just love it when they see me.

When I ask for something a little special it just makes their day.

Live lobsters?

North End Winnipeg?

You gotta be kiddin'!!

And a ho ho ho to you, too!

Maybe there is something hilarious about live lobsters.

Remember the boiling lobster scene in Annie Hall?

And Julie had to live with the guilt of being a lobster killer in Julie & Julia.

They just had to toss the lobsters into a pot and boil them.

The method in Artie's book is a lot more violent.

Well, what do you expect in a Sopranos cookbook?

Okay… here's how Tony's boys do the deed:

First thing:

Knock back a few stiff drinks to steady your nerves.

DO NOT remove the rubber bands that keep the lobster claws shut.

Wear oven mitts to protect yourself.

Okay… here we go:

Place a LIVE lobster upside down on a cutting board.

Hold the lobster by the tail and plunge the point of a heavy knife into the body,

where the tail joins the chest, and cut off the tail.

Continue hacking up the lobster at the joints into 2 inch chunks.

Crack the claws.

Remove the rubber bands.

That's one dead lobster.

There's more than one way to feed the family something fishy and fancy.

Frozen jumbo shrimp.

No muss, no fuss, no lobster claws, no big knives.

Shrimp is smaller and a quicker cook.

Do the frying bit until they're pink, then remove them from the pot.

Add the other ingredients and simmer 20 minutes.

Add the shrimp for the last 10 minutes.

The spicy tomato sauce is good with lobster or shrimp.

Yeah, right, the sauce is red.

Ya got a problem with that?

                        Lobster Fra Diavolo 

Serves 4 to 6

Into a large heavy pot pour

1/3 Cup olive oil

Add

2 lobsters (about 1 1/2 pounds each) prepared as above

2 large garlic cloves, lightly crushed

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Cook, stirring over medium low heat for 10 minutes.

Add

1 Cup dry white wine

1 29 to 35 ounce can Italian tomatoes, chopped

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

a dash of salt

Bring to a simmer.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes.

Remove the lobster pieces and keep them warm.

For the Linguine

While the sauce is simmering, in a large pot place

4 quarts water

salt to taste

Bring to a boil.

Add

1 pound linguine

Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente.

Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce.

Toss the pasta until it is coated.

Arrange the pasta in a warm serving bowl or platter.

Top with the lobster.

Serve immediately.

Would I make Lobster Fra Diavolo?

Sure.  With shrimp.

And I better not hear any complaints.

I still have that big heavy knife.

One recipe down.  Sixty-seven more to go.  

Carmela Soprano's Linguine with White Clam Sauce - Linguine alle Vongole

The turkey left overs are either all gone or in the freezer.

I mean, enough is enough already.

The budget is still hurting from the holiday dinner.

Time to serve up some more pasta.

Natalie Del Greco's chapter in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook is interesting.

I had always thought Sicily was the source for Italian food in America.

Well, I had Sicilian relatives.

So maybe that affected my knowledge, as well as my dinners.

Natalie's Cooking the Neapolitan Way is an interesting read.

The chapter also has a bit of history:

Pizza started out as peasant food.

Basically a tomato, mozzarella and basil open-face sandwich.

With some garlic and anchovies.

In the 1880s Queen Margherita decided to try it.

Like when Obama tried the cookies and beavertail in Ottawa's Byward Market 

a few years ago.

The pizzaiolo left out the garlic and anchovies.

Well, it was for a Queen.

Queen Margherita loved the newly created Pizza Margherita.

And so do a whole lot of folks.

We also have the Neapolitans to thank for take-out pizzas.

In Naples street vendors walk around with metal boxes on their heads.

They still sell hot pizza on the street this way.

Oh, in Naples, they call pasta maccerone (macaroni).

They liked it because it was easy to store and went with everything.

No kidding.

Linguine alle Vongole is a bit more work than the Linguine Aglio Olio recipe.

Oh, start the water for the pasta while you're preparing the clams.

You've been warned.

Just a reminder: Al dente means the pasta is tender yet firm to the bite.

The recipe calls for 1 small peperoncino, crumbled, instead of the crushed red pepper.

If you can get peperoncino, enjoy.

                        Linguine alle Vongole

Serves 6

With a stiff brush scrub under running water

3 pounds small hard-shell clams (littleneck or Manilla, for example)

Toss any clams that are broken or don't close tightly.

Place the clams in a large pot with

1/4 Cup water

Cover the pot.

Turn the heat to medium high.

Cook until the clams begin to open.

Place the opened clams in a bowl and continue to cook the others.

Toss any clams that don't open.

Set the pot aside.  Do NOT drain the liquid.

Over a small bowl to catch the juices, scrape the clams from the shells 

and place them in another bowl.

Add the liquid from the large pot to the juices in the small bowl.

Rinse the clams in the liquid in the small bowl and set aside.

Pour the liquid through a fine sieve or coffee filter into another bowl.

In a 12 inch skillet place

1/2 Cup Extra Virgin olive oil

Add 

6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

a pinch of crushed red pepper

Cook over medium heat until the garlic is golden.

Add about 2/3 of the clam juice.

Cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

Discard the garlic.

Stir in the remaining clam juice and the clams.

Cook 1 minute.

In a large pot place

4 quarts water

salt to taste

Bring to a boil.

Add

1 pound linguine

Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente.

Drain the pasta and place it in the skillet.

Toss the pasta until it is coated.

Cook over high heat 1 minute.

Serve immediately.

Would I make Linguine alle Vongole again?

No.

I live on the prairies.

The clams were a hassle to find.

I ended up using P.E.I. mussels.

And there are easier ways to cook mussels.

One recipe down.  Seventy-five more to go. 

Carmela Soprano's Linguine with Homemade Pesto Sauce - Linguine al Pesto

Okay... I hear you.

You still have some turkey left over.

The gang liked the Linguine Aglio Olio.

But, enough with the leftovers.

They'll put up with the turkey, again.

But they'd like a different starch.

No problem.

Here's another linguine recipe.

But, as with the Linguine Aglio Olio recipe, another pasta can be used.

If your supermarket is like mine, pasta is regularly on sale.

Pasta doesn't go bad, so it's a good idea to stock up when that happens.

Get out of your comfort zone and try some of the other shapes.

I mean, they all cost the same.

I always liked Adriana La Cerva.

Her heart was bigger than her brain, but, so what?

In Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook she wrote about cooking up a special dinner.

Especially a romantic dinner.

We are talking Adriana.

Not for Adriana a title like Rage, Guilt, Loneliness and Food.

Nope.

Adriana serves up Cibo D'Amore.

Just a reminder: Al dente means the pasta is tender yet firm to the bite.

Of course there isn't much garlic in this.

As Adriana says Buon amante!

                        Linguine al Pesto 

Serves 4 as a first course, 2 as a main dish

Combine in a mortar with a pestle (or use a food processor)

1/2 Cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried

1 Tablespoon pine nuts or blanched almonds

1 garlic clove

a pinch of coarse salt

Pound until the mixture forms a thick paste.

Gradually add

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil

Blend until smooth.

Place the mixture in a large bowl.

Stir in

1/3 Cup Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

In a large pot place

4 quarts water

salt to taste

Bring to a boil.

Add

8 ounces linguine

Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente.

Set aside 1/2 Cup of the cooking water.

Drain the pasta and place it in the large bowl with the pesto.

Toss the pasta until it is coated.

Add as much water as needed if the pesto is too thick.

Serve immediately.

Would I make Linguine al Pesto again?

Sure.

It's another handy quick recipe.

And it can use up that jar of pesto that's been sitting in the fridge.

One recipe down.  Seventy-six more to go. 

Carmela Soprano's Linguine with Garlic and Oil - Linguine Aglio Olio

Okay... time to get back to recipes.

There's probably some turkey left in the fridge.

But the potatoes and yams are all gone.

What to do for a starch...

No problem.

Dr. Jennifer Melfi not only can tell you what's wrong with you.

She can also feed you.

In Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook there's a chapter by Dr. M.

Rage, Guilt, Loneliness and Food.

There are a few pages about "Guilty Eaters", "Angry Eaters" and "Single Eaters".

Well, ignore the title and that stuff.

The recipes, like Linguine Aglio Olio, are okay.

Really.

Al dente means the pasta is tender yet firm to the bite.

Dr. M. used 1 small peperoncino, crumbled, instead of the crushed red pepper.

The butcher already thinks I'm hilarious when I ask for veal.

I didn't ask the produce guy for peperoncino.

I don't need any more of a reputation.

                        Linguine Aglio Olio 

Serves 4

In a large skillet pour

1/3 Cup Extra Virgin olive oil

Add

2 to 3 Tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Cook, stirring over low heat for 3 minutes or less.

You want the garlic to be lightly golden.

Stir in

1/4 Cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Turn off the heat.

In a large pot place

4 quarts water

salt to taste

Bring to a boil.

Add

1 pound linguine

Cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is al dente.

Set aside 1 Cup of the cooking water.

Drain the pasta and add it to the garlic and oil in the skillet.

Cooking over medium heat, toss the pasta until it is coated.

Add as much water as needed if it seems too dry.

Serve immediately.

Would I make Linguine Aglio Olio again?

Sure.

It's a handy recipe when you have to make something quick.

I mean, who doesn't have olive oil and garlic in the house?

Aglio Olio also works with spaghetti.

And other pasta.

Well, maybe not pastina.

One recipe down.  Seventy-seven more to go.  

Carmela Soprano's Linguine with Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Sauce, Anna Sultana's zalza pikkanti (Fish in Caper Sauce, Maltese Style)

I wanted something simple.

It's been getting warmer and I didn't want to stay indoors cooking.  Sometimes the recipes in Entertaining with The Sopranos try to make a recipe sound like more than it is.    

Carmela cut up large shrimp.  If you've got small ones, leave them alone or they'll disappear.

Carmela's Linguine with Spicy Shrimp and Tomato Sauce didn't have too many ingredients.
To be honest,  It isn't much of a recipe.  

Basically, here it is:

Cook
1 pound pasta
Before you drain the pasta, save some of the cooking water to thin the sauce if it's too dry.

In a large pot combine
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
a pinch of crushed red pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Cook about 3 minutes.

Stir in
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
28-ounce can of Italian peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
a pinch of salt
Simmer about 20 minutes.

Stir into the sauce
1 1/2 pounds of shrimp
Cook 1 minute.   

Mix the pasta into the sauce.
Serve immediately. 

The title called for linguine but in the recipe she said 'or spaghetti'.  Okay... a simple tomato sauce with shrimp on pasta.  

Ma never cooked shrimp.  In Malta, lampuki is the most popular fish.  Well, we were in College Point on Long Island.  There bluefish was easily available.  When we went for our Sunday drives to Sheepshead Bay, Pop could buy bluefish fresh from the fellows who liked to go fishing, but who didn't like to eat that stuff.  This was in the 60s, when real American men ate meat.  

Ma sometimes cut the cleaned fish into slices, dipped them in seasoned flour, fried them and served them in what she called piquant sauce, zalza pikkanti.  Zalza pikkanti was a little more work than Carmela's sauce.  It had onions, tomato paste, olives, sugar, vinegar, capers and, of course, garlic.  Ma served the fish either hot or cold, depending on the weather and our schedules. 

If you've just gone fishing or fish is on sale, I think it's alright to serve the fish, cut up, in Carmela's sauce.

Carmela's recipe is easier.  I'd make it again.  With any pasta I have on hand.

      

Another recipe down.  Sixty-five more to go.