daniel olivellas fideuà (fideo noodle paella)

Noodles & Pasta

Daniel Olivella's Fideuà (Fideo Noodle Paella)

The dish starts on the stovetop just like paella, but then it is finished in the oven. You can tell it is done when you look into the oven and the noodles are standing up—or trempant, as we say in Catalan, meaning “with an erection.”

Ingredients

4 ounces fideus or vermicelli
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 cups store-bought fish stock
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1/8 teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons curly parsley leaves
1 spanish onion, finely chopped
2 ounces firm white fish, such as monkfish or snapper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ounces cuttlefish or squid steaks, cut into ½-inch pieces
1/4 cup squid bodies, sliced into rings, and tentacles
1/4 cup store-bought sofrito
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 medium shrimp (21/25 count), peeled and deveined, tails left on
2 tablespoons frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons store-bought aioli
4 small lemon wedges

Directions

Heat the oven to 350°F. If you're using vermicelli, break the pasta into 1-inch pieces with your hands over a large sheet pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over the pasta or fideus and toss to coat well. Shake the noodles into a single layer, then toast in the oven, shaking the pan once or twice, for 8 to 10 minutes, until deep golden brown. Let cool completely.
Increase the oven temperature to 450°F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the stock to a gentle simmer.
Meanwhile, make a picada by mashing the garlic and ⅛ teaspoon of the salt to a fine paste with a mortar and pestle. Gradually add the parsley, mashing each addition completely before adding more, until a green paste forms. Stir in 1½ teaspoons of the oil; set aside.
In a 12-inch paella pan over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, until darkened and starting to caramelize. Increase the heat to high, add the fish, cuttlefish, and squid, and cook, tossing frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the fish begins to shrink and turn opaque. Stir in the toasted noodles until shiny with oil.
Add the reserved picada, sofrito, paprika, black pepper, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of the salt. Add about 3 cups of the stock, shaking to settle and loosen any noodle clusters as the stock begins to boil. Only shake the noodles at this point; if stirred, they will become sticky.
Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until some of the stock is absorbed. Test the noodles for doneness—they should be about halfway cooked by now. If the noodles no longer have room to swim, add about 1 cup more stock. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes more, until only a thin layer of the stock rests on top.
Bury the shrimp throughout the noodles and scatter the peas over the top. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 5 to 7 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink, all the stock has evaporated, and the crispy noodles stand up in the pan.
Spoon the aioli onto the center of the noodles. Serve at the center of the table with spoons for guests to serve themselves and the lemon wedges for squeezing. Stir the aioli into the noodles only after the dish is on the table.
Do Ahead: The fideus can be toasted 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.