Sunday News

The Local Flavor

From warm waters of Sicily comes ... PASTA PESCATORE

When it's cold outside -- and it's been very cold lately -- think warm thoughts. Think of, say, the Sicilian coast.

Vincenzo Armetta can take you there with his Pasta Pescatore.

Armetta, 53, runs Nino's New York Style Pizza & Italian Restaurant in Millersville with his wife, Annamaria, and son, Giovanni. Everyone knows the place as just Nino's.

You can get plenty of pizza there, but this recipe pays tribute to the bounty of the sea.

"In Sicily, we live close to the beach," said Armetta, a proud son of that legendary island off the coast of Italy. "We use a lot of seafood. This name comes from the fishermen."

And what a tribute it is to those fishermen. Pasta Pescatore, Nino's-style, counts calamari, shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams among its ingredients. Wine and tomato add more flavor.

Armetta moved to America when he was 27 years old, and he and his family came to Lancaster County by way of Allentown. Nino's has enjoyed 13 years at its current location on Millersville's Manor Street.

By the way, Armetta started making pizza in Sicily when he was just 13.

"I've always been cooking all my life," he said.

And his legacy isn't going anywhere. Giovanni, 24, has been in the business since he was 12.

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced, more as needed

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup crushed tomatoes

Pinch of salt

Pinch of crushed red pepper

1 pound fresh calamari, washed, cleaned and cut into pieces

5 jumbo shrimp, cleaned and deveined

5 bay scallops

6 clams

4 mussels

½ cup dry white wine

Pinch of Old Bay seasoning

Saut' garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil over low heat. Add crushed tomatoes, then salt and crushed red pepper. Let simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare another pan with the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some extra slices of thin garlic.

Saut' the calamari, then add shrimp, scallops, clams and mussels to pan, along with wine and Old Bay. Cover pan. Cook 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat.

When clam shells are slightly open, you are ready to add the tomato mixture from the other pan. Let dish cook, covered, for 3 more minutes.

Serve over boiled linguini (boil with a pinch of salt). Make sure pasta is al dente. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Makes one (very hearty) serving.n