Italian
Silvia’s Masterclass
From
Silvia’s Masterclass
season
2
episode
10
Spadellata di frutti di mare, Big Pot of Seafood
With
Silvia Colloca
SERVES
6
Ingredients
For prawn reduction: 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
For prawn reduction: 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
For prawn reduction: 1 shallot, roughly chopped
For prawn reduction: 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
For prawn reduction: 100 ml white wine
For prawn reduction: 100g cherry tomatoes, halved
For prawn reduction: heads and tails of 12 prawns
For seafood: 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
For seafood: 2 garlic cloves, minced
For seafood: 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus extra to serve
For seafood: 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, or 1 thinly sliced red chilli
For seafood: 100 ml white wine
For seafood: 400g cherry tomatoes, halved
For seafood: 300g skinless ling or barramundi fillet, pin-boned, cut into 3cm pieces
For seafood: 12 green prawns, peeled (tails intact), deveined
For seafood: 12 scallops, roe removed
For seafood: 1 kg mussels, de-bearded, scrubbed
For seafood: ½ kg vongole, rinsed
Thick slices of grilled sourdough to serve
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Method
Begin by making the prawn reduction. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 garlic cloves, shallots and celery and cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant.
Turn the heat to high and add the prawn heads and tails. Add 100g cherry tomatoes, stir through, then pour in 100 ml wine and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until the wine has evaporated.
Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Crush the heads with your spoon to help release the goodness.
Strain the prawn reduction and discard the prawn heads, tails and vegetables. Set the liquid aside.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add parsley, chilli and minced garlic, cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the remaining cherry tomatoes and stir. Add remaining wine and the strained prawn reduction, cook for a further 2–3 minutes until the wine has evaporated.
Add fish and prawns, and cook for 1 minute, then add remaining seafood (scallops, mussels, vongole). Cover and cook, shaking the pot once or twice, for a further 6–7 minutes, until mussels and vongole have opened and seafood is cooked through.
Remove from heat. Add the reserved parsley leaves and bring the pot to the table with a big serving spoon and lots of grilled sourdough.
Silvia Colloca
Silvia Colloca is an Italian-born food writer, opera singer, TV producer and host. She has authored seven cookbooks, including Silvia’s Cucina, Made in Italy, La Dolce Vita, Love, Laugh, Bake!, Simple Italian (2024), and The Italian Homecook (2025), all published by Penguin.
Silvia’s most recent television work is Silvia’s Italian Masterclass (Channel 10), with its latest season airing in October 2025. The series is currently funding for Season 4. She has also appeared as a special guest on SBS’s Mastermind in 2025. Her earlier TV credits include the SBS Food series Cook Like an Italian, which has screened internationally across three seasons, as well as Made in Italy with Silvia Colloca (SBS), filmed on location in the Le Marche and Abruzzo regions and earning her a 2015 TV WEEK Logie Award nomination for Best New Talent. She also co-wrote, co-produced and hosted the ABC prime-time series Silvia’s Italian Table in 2016.
Outside of food and television, Silvia has enjoyed a career as a celebrated opera singer and actress. In 2022, she released her debut solo classical album with Universal Music, which topped the Classical Charts for over 20 weeks. That same year, she performed with Andrea Bocelli at his Sydney concert, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Inspiration Starts Here
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