Gnocchi with Saffron, Shrimp and Mussels

At Trattoria la Moretta, located in Ancona, the capital of Italy’s Marche region, chef Corrado Biló pairs gnocchi with a seafood ragù made from large prawns and clams with smaller pieces of chopped mixed seafood. Our goal was to mimic the sweet, briny flavors but make the dish more amenable to home cooking. We found that starting with a quick mussel broth built a flavorful base, while adding saffron, like Biló did, gave the sauce floral, earthy notes and a warm golden hue. Either uncooked homemade gnocchi or store-bought gnocchi (which is precooked) works well here. Whatever you use, be sure to stir gently after transferring the gnocchi from the simmering water to the skillet so the dumplings don’t turn to mush. For pasta fans, we also tested the recipe using a 9-ounce package of fresh fettuccine, and the results were great. Cook the pasta according to package instructions and add it in the same way you would the gnocchi.