Italian cuisine is a vast patchwork of regional gastronomies, with a rich history and an abundance of flavours. Seafood is a key part of Italian food, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, as almost all of Italy’s 20 regions have a stretch of Mediterranean coastline.
In fact, much of Australia’s own seafood eating culture is thanks to Italian immigrants, many of whom still work as third and fourth-generation fishers to this day. Octopus and Squid went from being nothing more than bait or fertiliser to Aussies, to being caught and eaten by Australia’s new Italian fishing communities. Nowadays, we know the value of these species, thanks to the introduction of Italian cuisine into our gastronomic lexicon.
If you love Italian food as much as us, Sydney Seafood School has got three fantastic cooking classes on offer that will be perfect for you.
Italian Seafood Favourites ()
This Italian Seafood class gives you a window into the cornerstones of Italian cooking, focusing on technique, simplicity, and high-quality ingredients. The highlight of this class is learning how to make a perfect risotto using pantry staples, so that you always have an impressive recipe up your sleeve.
Chef's Masterclass with Alessandro Pavoni ()
Alessandro Pavoni, head chef for Ormeggio at the Spit and a’Mare at Crown Sydney, plays with exciting new techniques, textures and flavour combinations while being firmly grounded in Italian tradition. Learn to create delicious modern Italian seafood dishes in his Masterclass.
Pasta Workshop ()
Roll up your sleeves and enter the world of fresh pasta-making. With our expert staff by your side, you will be channeling Nonna in no time, learning how to create your own fresh egg pasta from scratch. Then, we will teach you how to take this simple pasta dough to the next level with the deluxe additions of squid ink, saffron, sweet tomatoes, chilli, and of course, stunning Australian seafood.
Plus, Sydney Seafood School have gathered five delicious Italian seafood recipes for you to try at home!
Linguine ai Frutti di Mare
Recipe Here
Seafood pasta sauces are known by different regional names all over the Italian coast, including ‘allo scoglio’ (reef-style) and ‘alla pescatore’ (fisherman-style). The more general name however is ‘ai frutti di mare’ (with fruits of the sea).
Fun fact: ‘Spaghetti marinara’ sounds so maritime that we instantly think of pasta with seafood, however ‘marinara’ actually refers to the mariners (or sailors) whose wives made a very simple sauce with tomato, garlic, and fresh herbs, when their husbands returned after months at sea and the last thing they wanted to eat was seafood!
Red Mullet Baked in Paper
Recipe Here
Red Mullet is a popular fish all over the Mediterranean and several countries do a version cooked in paper; this recipe would be called Triglie al Cartoccio in Italy. Cooking in paper parcels keeps in moisture and flavour, allowing it to penetrate throughout the fish.
To really impress at a dinner party, serve your paper parcels still wrapped and let your guests open them at the table, releasing the delicious aromas right before eating.
Black Handkerchief Pasta with Seafood and Tomato Sauce
Recipe Here
Stracci (meaning ‘rags’) is the Italian name for this style of pasta. It’s traditionally made from the off cuts after making ravioli or a similar filled pasta. Handkerchief pasta is perhaps a more appropriate name as, if the dough is passed through the pasta machine enough times, the pasta ends up with a lovely silken texture – like a silk hanky!
Seafood Risotto
Recipe Here
Risotto rice is plump, short to medium grained and high in starch, which gives this popular dish its creamy texture. Of the several different varieties, carnaroli is preferred in most regions of Italy and is said to produce the creamiest risotto. It is available from good delicatessens and specialist providores, and is more resistant to overcooking than the more commonly available arborio rice.
We have a recipe for fish stock on our website too, if you want to go the whole hog!
Bonito, White Bean & Tomato Salad with Caper Mayonnaise
Recipe Here
Not only is this recipe packed with delicious and punchy Mediterranean flavours, but it’s also the colours of the Italian flag! What could be more fitting for this homage to Italian cuisine?
Related to Tuna and Mackerel, Bonito has a full-bodied flavour and high amounts of omega-3 oils. Some people find the slightly stronger taste of such fish a little overwhelming, but hearty flavours like capers, olives and tomatoes compliment it well, creating a tasty – but still healthy – dish.
