Christmas is the feast commemorating the birth of Christ. It is fixed in the liturgical year as December 25th and is preceded by four week of fasting called Advent.Pasta with Seafood
- ½ lb. Baccala, (dried salt cod) cut in 1 inch pieces, rinsed, and soaked
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 to 6 cups Italian Tomato sauce
- ¾ lb. littleneck or cherrystone clams, rinsed and drained (be sure the clams are closed tight and none are filled with mud)
- ¾ lb. mussels, beards removed, rinsed, and drained
- ½ lb. crab claws
- ½ lb. fresh cod
- ½ lb. medium shrimp, peeled
- ½ lb. squid, cleaned and cut into ½ inch rings
- 2 lbs. penne or linguine pasta
For the Baccala:
Rinse the Baccala several times and soak it in plenty of cold water for a minimum of 12 hours. Change the water a few times during the soaking process. Drain well. The cod is ready to use.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook the pasta. In another large pot, sauté the garlic in the olive oil for 1 minute. Add the wine and tomato sauce. Simmer gently, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the Baccala, clams, mussels, crab claws, and the fresh cod. Cover and simmer until the clams and mussels just begin to open. Add the shrimp and squid and simmer about 2 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and are barely cooked through. At the same time, cook the pasta in the boiling water with a pinch of salt until al dente. When the pasta is cooked and the seafood is done, drain the pasta well and place on a large platter. Discard any shellfish with unopened shells. Pour the cooked seafood and the sauce over the pasta.
