1 bowl to fit over the pot to create a double boiler
1 whisk
1 thermometer kitchen
1 large pan or skillet
Ingredients
2.2lbsmusselsbeards removed
1lbclams
2 ½ozsalmon filet
2 ½oztuna filet
2 ½ozswordfish filet
4shrimpoptional
6egg yolks
2tbspolive oil
3clovesfresh garlic
1tbspbutter
1tbspblack peppercoarsely grated
1pinchfine salt
11ozspaghettiwe used 'spaghetti grosso'
bottargaoptional, for grating on top
For Soaking the Clams to Remove the Sand
2tbspsalt
4cupswater
Instructions
Prepare the Clams
Prepare a salt bath for the clams using 2 tbsp for every 4 cups of water. Submerge a strainer in the water. Add the fresh clams to the strainer in the salt water.
2 tbsp salt, 4 cups water
Let the clams soak for 2 hours. During this time they will exchange the water (with sand) inside their shells for the fresh salt water. The sand will fall to the bottom of the soaking bowl.
1 lb clams
After the two hours, remove the clams from the salt water bath with the strainer and set aside. Discard the (now sandy) water bath.
Prepare the Mussels
Give the mussels a rinse and scrape off any debris. Remove the 'beard' of the mussels by pulling down and out towards the wider side of the mussel.
2.2 lbs mussels
Prepare the Eggs
Separate the eggs, saving just the yolks for the sauce. Use a bowl that can comfortably fit over a the pot where you will boil the pasta. We will be creating a double boiler as the pasta cooks with the boiling pasta water to pre-cook the egg sauce to the temperature recommended by the FDA for egg food safety.
6 egg yolks
Steam the Shellfish
Sauté the garlic in the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
2 tbsp olive oil, 3 cloves fresh garlic
Add the mussels and clams to the pan. Cover and cook over medium heat until most of the shells have opened. Discard any shellfish with unopened shells (they aren't safe to eat).
Strain the broth using a sieve or cheesecloth to remove any remaining sand. Save the broth for later.
Remove all or most of the shellfish meat from the shells and let them soak in the strained broth until it is time to use them. You can leave a few shellfish in the shell for plating and decoration if you like.
Cook the Fish
Remove any skin or bones from the fish filets. Then dice the fish.
2 ½ oz salmon filet, 2 ½ oz tuna filet, 2 ½ oz swordfish filet
Briefly toast black pepper over low heat in a dry pan, just until it gives off a fragrance. Set the pepper aside.
1 tbsp black pepper
Melt the butter in the pan, add the pieces of fish. Cook the fish over medium heat for a few minute—it doesn't take long to cook small pieces of fish. Salt to taste and set the cooked fish aside.
1 tbsp butter, 1 pinch fine salt
Partially Cook the Pasta
While the fish is cooking, bring a pot of unsalted boiling water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water for ¾ of the time listed on the package instructions for al dente pasta. You can add a bit of salt to the water if you like—but very little. We will be using the salty shellfish broth to finish cooking the pasta and we don't want the pasta to be too salty.
11 oz spaghetti
Cook the Egg Sauce (the Carbonara Sauce)
To pre-cook the carbonara egg sauce, we can use the hot water from the cooking pasta as a water bath to make a double boiler.
To pre-cook the egg sauce, whisk together the egg yolks with about a ladle of the shellfish broth. Then, place the bowl with the egg sauce over the pot of hot water. Using a thermometer to control the temperature of the egg sauce and whisking continuously, heat the egg yolk sauce over the double boiler to 160℉ (71℃). This is the temperature the FDA recommends to kill off most bacteria in eggs which can cause foodborne illness.
When the egg sauce has reached this temperature, remove it from the heat and keep whisking to cool it quickly.
Strain the egg sauce to remove any clumps. Eggs will start to coagulate at the temperature required for egg safety, but by whisking continuously and straining you can remove any small clumps that have started to form. The result? A creamy and velvety sauce perfect for Carbonara lovers who want to avoid the risks of raw egg.
Finish Cooking the Pasta
Combine the shellfish, shellfish broth and fish in the large pan. Heat the sauce then...
Add the partially cooked pasta—and shrimp if you are adding it. Finish cooking the pasta to al dente in the shellfish broth.
4 shrimp
Remove the cooked pasta from the heat. Add the pre-cooked egg sauce and stir quickly to combine. The heat from the pasta will warm the egg sauce.
Serve immediately and top with grated bottarga for an extra punch of umami.
bottarga
Buon appetito :)
Video
Notes
Want to Save Time?Buy frozen mussels and clams and clam juice (broth) in a bottle."Do I need salmon, tuna and swordfish?"Of course not. In fact, this is one dish in Italy that lacks a traditional recipe. These are the three fish most commonly used (alone or combined) when fish is added. Choose what you prefer. Or, just make this dish with the shellfish (another common variation).