Fideuà
A crispy seafood pasta recipe cooked in a paella pan—and served with allioli, Catalonia’s most iconic dip
This dish is not Catalan in origin but Valencian —specifically from the port city of Gandía. It is believed to have originated at the beginning of the 20th century as a sailor’s dish.
The most accepted story is the one told by Bautista Pascual Sanchís, known as Zabalo. Born in Gandía in 1915, Zabalo joined the crew of the fishing boat Santa María as a boy, helping out wherever he was needed. One day, while assisting with lunch preparations, he wondered if he could swap the rice in the seafood dish they were supposed to cook for noodles. He hoped that this change might finally allow him to taste the meal—something he rarely had the chance to do. At the time, it was believed that older crew members, like Maseta—the boat’s captain—didn’t care for noodles (fideus) and would refuse to eat them if served. But that morning in 1930, things turned out differently. Maseta ate more than ever, and once again, poor Zabalo didn’t get to enjoy a single bite—not even smell the leftovers.
That brothy noodle dish the crew ate that day gained popularity and eventually became known as fideuà. However, it was different from the version we recognize today. The first time fideuà was cooked in a paella pan—also known as a paellera, to differentiate it from the dish itself—was in the mid-20th century, during a large meal organized by a well-known local doctor. Joaquina Pellicer, the cook of Doctor Bellver, prepared a two-course meal consisting of fish served with potatoes, onions, and tomatoes, followed by fideus cooked in a paella pan flavored with fumet —stock made from the fish’s head and bones—, along with cuttlefish and prawns.
That was the first fideuà cooked in a paella pan, resulting in a dish that was less brothy than the original and featured crispy noodles at the bottom—the famous socarrat (“scorched”) also prized in traditional rice paella.
Fideuà is so integral to the identity of Gandía that, since 1975, the city has hosted an annual contest to find the best rendition of the dish. But fideuà also traveled north into Catalonia, where I have enjoyed it for years. The traditional recipe includes galeres alongside the prawns. Squilla mantis is the Latin name of this crustacean, found in shallow coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Similar to crayfish, it contributes a sweet seafood flavor that blends beautifully with the prawns and cuttlefish.
I called my aunt Teresa to ask how she makes fideuà. She learned from my yaya Rosa and told me that in their version, they also add monkfish—using its bones and head, along with the prawn heads and shells, to prepare the stock. She also swaps out galeres for escamarlans (Norway lobsters), which are truly delicious.
I took notes and set out to gather the main ingredients. I knew finding Norway lobsters would be almost impossible, but I was surprised not to find monkfish—and downright shocked when several places told me they didn’t sell whole prawns. Apparently, the heads are discarded for “sustainability reasons”…
This is one of the frustrations of living in the United States: when it comes to food, everything feels more complicated. A task that would take me 20 minutes in Catalonia—walking to the fishmonger, asking for seafood, having the fish prepped for stock, and heading home—turned into days of driving around, only to hear “no” everywhere. Here, unless you fish it yourself or have secretive contacts, sourcing these “specific” ingredients can feel nearly impossible.
Eventually, I gave up and decided to pivot the recipe. If it was this hard for me to source the ingredients, chances are most of my readers would struggle too. So I adapted: I used halibut for the fish (a North Atlantic flatfish), and stuck to prawns—whole ones I finally found in the least romantic place imaginable: Costco.
There was one thing I refused to compromise on, though, because it’s essential to the dish: the ñora pepper. I brought mine back from Barcelona during a visit last April, but you can also find them on Amazon. Ñora is a variety of Capsicum annuum cultivated in Alicante and Murcia. Small and round in shape, it’s widely used throughout Spain’s Mediterranean coast, especially in rice and seafood dishes as well as sauces. It typically comes dried; just soak it in hot water for a few minutes, then blend it with a bit of that water before adding it to your preparation.
I also didn’t compromise on serving the fideuà the Catalan way: with allioli. You might be familiar with this dipping sauce, although its name has been butchered into alioli, aioli, or aïoli. The real allioli should include only two ingredients: all i oli (garlic and oil)—though a pinch of salt is acceptable. It’s a true emulsion, one that many people don’t have the patience to make by hand, so most versions include egg as a stabilizer. Traditionalists argue that this turns it into garlic mayonnaise—and they’re right—but personally, I don’t mind. It’s tasty too. Still, I think this is a good opportunity to clarify that the original (the OG, as they say) is made solely with garlic and olive oil, hence the name.
One final note: skip the allioli altogether if you plan to be in close proximity—romantic or otherwise—to another human being. The garlic’s power is tremendous! In those cases, a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon will also elevate your fideuà beautifully.
I like to think that even if this isn’t the best version of the dish (please do add galeres or escamarlans if you can find them—and flavor the stock with a fish head, too!), I also improvised with what I had on hand, just like Zabalo did that morning on the Santa María. The result is a flavorful meal that will put your paellera to work, transporting you straight to the Mediterranean coast of Spain. So, gather your loved ones and share this perfect summer lunch. The afterwards siesta is optional but highly recommended!
Ingredients
MAIN INGREDIENTS
1lb (450g) fideus (thin short noodles, also labeled as fideo or #2 cut pasta)
4 ¼ cups (1L) fumet — seafood stock
3 bodies of cuttlefish or squid, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces
14 whole raw prawns or large shrimp — 10 for the stock and fideuà, 4 reserved for serving
10 oz (300g) white fish —preferably monkfish, cut into cubes (halibut also works)
2 garclic cloves, minced
2 medium tomatoes, grated (or about ¾ cup pulp)
1 tbsp. sweet Spanish paprika
1 ñora pepper, rehydrated in hot water and blended with some of that water into a paste
A few strands of saffron
Olive oil, for sautéing
Salt, to taste
⅓ cup (100 ml) white wine
THE FUMET (SEAFOOD STOCK)
Heads, tails, and shells of 10 prawns or large shrimp (plus bones and head of a rockfish like monkfish, if available)
1tbs of cooking oil, for sautéing
⅓ cup (100 ml) white wine
1 medium onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 carrot, chopped (no need to peel)
1 leek, chopped
1 bay leaf
8 ½ cups (2 L) of water
THE ALLIOLI
4 garlic cloves
Light flavored olive oil, as needed
Salt, to taste
Instructions
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Make the fish stock (fumet):
Remove the heads, tails, and shells from 10 prawns.
Discard the intestinal vein by making a small incision along the back and pulling it out.
In a stock pot, heat some olive oil and add the prawn heads, tails, and shells. Press them with a spoon so they release their juices.
Add the chopped garlic, onion, leek, and carrot.
Sauté for a few minutes, then deglaze with the white wine.
Once the wine has fully evaporated, add 2 liters (8 ½ cups) of water and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on, skimming off any foam or scum that forms on the surface.
When done, strain through a fine mesh strainer or chinois and set aside.
Make the fideuà:
Heat some olive oil in a paella pan and add the 4 whole prawns reserved for serving. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the peeled prawns. Once they change color, set them aside.
Next, add the white fish to the pan, cook briefly, and set aside. Repeat with the cuttlefish or squid—sauté and set aside.
In the same pan, add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Deglaze with white wine. Add the grated tomatoes and let the mixture simmer until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
When the tomato has reduced significantly, stir in the paprika, saffron, and blended ñora pepper paste. Sauté for another couple of minutes to deepen the flavor.
Add the fideus and stir well to coat them in the sofregit (the base sauce). Let them toast lightly for a minute.
Pour in the hot fish stock and spread the noodles evenly across the pan. Season with salt and let cook for 5 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust salt as needed. If the liquid reduces too quickly and the noodles aren’t done, add a bit more fumet.
When the noodles have absorbed most of the liquid and are fully cooked, return the peeled prawns, squid, and fish to the pan. Top with the 4 whole prawns in a decorative pattern.
Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
Make the allioli:
In a large mortar, add the garlic cloves and a pinch of salt. Pound until they form a smooth paste.
Slowly begin adding olive oil in a thin stream while continuously stirring in the same direction.
Keep mixing until the mixture emulsifies and reaches a thick, creamy consistency.
To serve:
Plate the fideuà and serve with a small bowl of allioli on the side, so guests can add it if they wish. Bon profit!
Some tips + downloadable card
As I mentioned earlier, this recipe is traditionally made with galeres or escamarlans, so if you can find them—or any kind of crayfish you like—go ahead and swap them in for the 4 unpeeled prawns! You can also substitute the cuttlefish with squid and enrich the stock with rockfish head and bones for deeper flavor.
You’ll need a paellera to make this dish. While paella is technically the Catalan and Valencian word for “frying pan,” the term paellera is often used to refer specifically to the wide, shallow, flat pan used to make the famous Valencian rice dish. It can be a bit confusing, but the important thing is this: fideuà should be cooked in a paella pan—not in a casserole or deep pot.
Make sure your paella pan is big enough for the number of people you’re serving. This recipe feeds 4–5 people as a main dish. Also, ensure your pan is not nonstick (more on that below). I use this one.
A very important step in making fideuà is to add the fideus before the stock. We want to sauté them in the sofregit (the base sauce) so they toast slightly and form a protective layer that keeps them from becoming overcooked.
It’s also important not to stir the fideus once the stock has been added. It might seem counterintuitive, but we want them to stick to the bottom! That’s the delicious socarrat—the golden, crispy layer at the bottom—which people fight over in Spain. When cooking with a paella pan, whether it’s rice or noodles, this crust is the prize. Trust me.
When it comes to flavor, don’t skip the ñora, the Spanish sweet paprika—ideally Pimentón dulce de la Vera—and the saffron. They make the dish.
Finally, keep a close eye on it: the noodles absorb the stock quickly, and the whole dish can be ready in just 10 minutes!
This looks delicious and I loved all the background. I had no idea I'd been preparing allioli wrong this whole time! I'll definitely be giving this a go
I've never heard of the Ñora pepper. There are way more peppers than I can imagine. Is it spicy?