Valencian fideuà — Spanish seafood noodles with shrimp, mussels and saffron

Fideuà is the emblematic dish of the Valencian coast — born, as Spanish culinary chronicles tell it, on the fishing boats of Gandia, whose fishermen replaced paella’s rice with short noodles. The noodles are first toasted in olive oil until they turn golden, then slowly absorb the aromatic saffron fish stock, becoming a rich dish with shrimp, mussels and white fish. It is traditionally served with lemon wedges — and, for those who like it, with alioli sauce.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 500 g short noodles for fideuà (fideos nº 4; you can substitute spaghetti broken into 3–4 cm pieces)
• 300 g peeled shrimp
• 500 g fresh mussels
• 250 g white fish fillet (sea bass or sea bream), cut into pieces
• 1.2 l fish stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 grated tomatoes (or 200 g canned tomatoes)
• 1 teaspoon saffron, dissolved in a little warm water
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 100 ml olive oil
• salt and black pepper
• fresh parsley and lemon wedges, to serve

Preparation steps

1. Wash the mussels well and put them in a pot with a little water; cover and cook for 3–4 minutes, until the shells open fully. Strain, discard any that did not open, and reserve the liquid.
2. In the wide, shallow pan (paellera), heat the olive oil and toast the noodles for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until they take on a golden colour. Set aside.
3. In the same pan, sauté the onion, pepper and garlic for 5–6 minutes; add the grated tomatoes and paprika and cook for another 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
4. Return the noodles to the pan, pour in the hot fish stock (including the mussel liquid) and the saffron; salt to taste. Cook for 8–10 minutes without stirring.
5. Arrange the shrimp, fish pieces and mussels on top; cover and cook for another 6–8 minutes, until the liquid is fully absorbed and the seafood is ready.
6. Remove the pan from the heat, let it rest covered for 5 minutes, then serve with chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Time: Preparation 15 minutes · Cooking 30 minutes · Total about 45 minutes
Servings: 6