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1
The pasutice can be made a few hours ahead and kept at room temperature until you cook them (or frozen long in advance, as detailed on page 20).
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2
To prepare the shellfish, put the clams in a single layer on a tray or platter and freeze them for about 1/2 hour.
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3
Open the shells with a shucking knife, cut out the clams, and slice each one into quarters.
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4
Collect the clam liquor in a bowl as you shuck, let the sediment settle, and pour off the clean liquor on top, saving it for the sauce.
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5
Remove the shells, tails, and small digestive vein from the shrimp, then rinse and pat them dry.
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6
Pull off and discard the little muscle on the side of each scallop, and slice them in half horizontally, into thin disks.
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7
Meanwhile, bring 7 quarts water and 1 1/2 tablespoons salt to the boil in the big pot.
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8
Keep it covered and simmering, so you can cook the pasutice quickly when the seafood sauce is ready.
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9
Pour 4 tablespoons of the olive oil into the big skillet, toss in the crushed garlic and the peperoncino, and cook over medium-high heat until the garlic is fragrant and lightly colored.
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10
Turn up the heat, scatter the shrimp and scallop slices around the pan, spread out so they start sizzling and caramelizing.
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11
Cook for just a minute, toss and turn the shellfish, then scatter the clam chunks in the hot pan and get them sizzling.
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12
Pour in the cup of crushed tomatoes, the clam liquor, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a bubbling boil, then adjust the heat to keep the juices bubbling steadily.
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13
Pour another 1/4 cup of olive oil into the sauce, and stir in well.
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14
Cook for about 2 minutes, slightly reducing, then toss in half of the chopped parsley, and turn off the heattemporarily.
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15
Meanwhile, bring the pasta water to a rolling boil and drop in the pasutice quickly by handfuls, shaking off excess flour, and stirring to keep the pieces from sticking.
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16
Cover the pot, and return to the boil rapidly.
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17
Cook only until the pasutice have risen to the surface and are just al dente, a minute or two or maybe more, depending on how dry and thick they are.
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18
When the pasutice are almost done, return the shellfish sauce to a bubbling simmer.
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19
Lift out the diamonds with a spider, drain briefly, and drop them into the skillet.
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20
Toss the pasutice and shellfish together for a couple of minutes, until the pasta is perfectly cooked and coated with the dressing.
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21
Cook rapidly over high heat if the sauce is soupy, or ladle in a bit of water from the pasta-cooking pot to thin it.
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22
Turn off the heat, and dress the pasutice with a final flourish of olive oil, 2 tablespoons or so, and sprinkle the rest of the parsley over.
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23
Serve immediately in warm pasta bowls.
