Linguine with Mixed Seafood and Fresh Tomato Sauce

Get your frozen seafood mix ready. Place it in a colander under cold running water to defrost. This helps prevent it from releasing too much water when you cook it. Once defrosted, drain it well and pat dry with paper towels.

Peel and finely chop your garlic cloves. You want them nice and small so they infuse the oil beautifully.

Wash your cherry tomatoes and halve them. If you're using larger fresh tomatoes, you can score the bottom with a small 'X', blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then peel and roughly chop them.

Pick the leaves off your fresh basil and set them aside for garnishing later.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.

Stir in the halved cherry tomatoes (or chopped fresh tomatoes) and cook for 5-7 minutes, until they start to soften and break down. Use the back of your spoon to gently crush some of them.

Pour in the passata and, if using, the dry white wine. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil for your linguine. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water.

Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions, usually about 12 minutes, until al dente.

About 3-4 minutes before the pasta is done, add the defrosted and drained seafood mix to your simmering tomato sauce. Stir gently and cook just until the seafood is opaque and cooked through.

Once the linguine is cooked, reserve about 125 ml (1/2 cup) of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Add the drained linguine directly to the pan with the seafood sauce. Toss everything together, adding a splash or two of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick, to help it coat the pasta beautifully.

Serve immediately, garnished generously with the fresh basil leaves. Enjoy your delicious homemade seafood linguine!