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There are meals that linger in memory long after the plates are cleared. One such evening unfolded in Rome, after a twilight stroll from the Pantheon, when we found ourselves at Ristorante Sapore di Mare. The name—“Taste of the Sea”—was a promise, and it delivered.

As a lifelong seafood lover, I was drawn to my favorite: Frutti di Mare in red Marinara sauce, a dish that sings of the Mediterranean.

This recipe is my homage to that night. It’s simple, vibrant, and deeply satisfying. Whether you choose the bold tomato-based Marinara or a creamy white wine sauce, the seafood remains the star—shrimp, mussels, calamari, and scallops, each adding its own voice to the chorus.

🍝 Step-by-Step: Frutti di Mare (Seafood Medley)

🧄 Ingredients

•  1/3 cup olive oil

•  4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

•  1 bay leaf

•  1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

•  1 lb seafood mix (shrimp, squid, scallops, mussels)

•  1 1/4 tsp salt

•  1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

•  3 tbsp dry sherry or sherry cooking wine

•  2 tbsp lemon juice

•  3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Optional for white sauce:

•  1 cup whole cream

•  1/4 cup white wine

•  1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water

Optional for red sauce:

•  1 1/2 cups Marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)

🔪 Instructions

1. Prepare your ingredients

•  Slice the garlic thinly.

•  Rinse and pat dry the seafood mix.

•  Chop the parsley and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil

•  In a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat.

3. Sauté aromatics

•  Add garlic, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes.

•  Cook for about 2 minutes until the garlic sizzles and becomes fragrant.

4. Add the seafood

•  Stir in the seafood mix.

•  Cook gently over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

•  Be careful not to overcook—especially the squid, which can become rubbery.

5. Deglaze and season

•  Add sherry, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley.

•  Stir gently and let simmer for 1 minute.

6. Choose your sauce

For Marinara (red sauce):

•  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of Marinara sauce.

•  Simmer for 2–3 minutes until heated through.

For Creamy white sauce:

•  Add 1 cup whole cream and 1/4 cup white wine.

•  Simmer briefly, then stir in the cornstarch-water mixture.

•  Cook until the sauce thickens slightly.

7. Serve immediately

•  Spoon over cooked pasta (spaghetti or linguine).

•  Garnish with extra parsley and serve with crusty bread or a glass of white wine.