Lumache con lumache di mare. Or snails with sea snails! I was mightily confused when I first translated this recipe until I realised that they meant the pasta shapes known as snails with whelks.
Whelks are more often eaten poached and eaten as part of a seafood antipasto. They can also be dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. Serves 4
Pasta with whelks ingredients
- 350 g lumache (or similar pasta shape)
- 500 g whelks — thoroughly washed and soaked in cold water for 3-4 hours
- 1 medium onion — chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 100 g tomatoes — chopped
- 1 chilli — chopped
- olive oil
- fish stock
- Drain the whelks. Add to a pan along with the tomatoes garlic and chilli. Cover with fish stock and simmer until the whelks can be removed from their shells (with the aid of a tooth pick) About 10 minutes. Keep a couple of shells for decoration. Discard the stock.
- In a clean pan, fry the onion in a little olive oil. Add the whelk meat and fry for another minute. Add the wine and let it evaporate. Add the parsley and remove from the heat.
- Cook the pasta and toss with the whelk sauce. Serve immediately
Pasta with whelks finished dish
PS The more sharp eyed among you will have noticed that when I cooked this dish I couldn’t find lumache. Isn’t that just typical 🙂 I used gnocchi instead.
