Spaghetti Frutti Di Mare

Scrub mussels under cold running water. Remove beards. In a 8-quart Dutch oven combine 4 quarts cold water and 1/3 cup kosher salt; add mussels. Soak for 15 minutes; drain and rinse. Discard water. Repeat soaking, draining and rinsing twice.

Cook according to package directions. Drain; keep warm.

In a 12-inch skillet, cook shallots and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until tender. Add wine and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook and stir about 2 minutes or until tomatoes release some of their juices.

Bring the tomato mixture to boiling. Add mussels to the sauce mixture; cook, covered, over medium heat for 5 minutes or just until mussels open. (Discard any mussels that do not open.)

Stir in shrimp and calamari and, if you like, basil and parsley. Cook and stir over medium heat about 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve sauce over hot pasta with warm bread. Top wtih basil leaves, if you like. Makes 6 servings.

If you like, omit the mussels, 1 cup salt, and squid and increase shrimp to 1 1/2 pounds.

In a medium saucepan bring salted water to boiling. Add shrimp and calamari. Cook, uncovered, 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp and calamari turn opaque. Drain saucepan. Transfer shrimp and calamari to a bowl of ice water to chill completely. Remove from ice water. Chill, covered, until ready to add to Frutti Di Mare.