SCUNGILLI / SEA WHELK
Scungilli always sounds like a dish the Sopranos should be serving at their Sunday supper. In fact, it is easier to find these fresh in Chinatown than in Little Italy, where they are often pre-cooked and out of the shell. If it is up to you to get them out of their homes, a simple blanch will pry them loose. Once you do, you’ll find them meaty, a little chewy and sweet with that briny finish.
Scungilli are mollusks that are also known as sea whelk. The name is an Italian-American modification of the Neapolitan word, sconciglio. Scungilli are naturally tough if improperly cooked, but you do not have to worry about that with this recipe.
Scungilli alla Sorrentina, or conch stew is a dish that often makes the menus of the Neopolitan Christmas Feast of the seven fishes tradition. In Babbo’s interpretation - Scungilli alla Sorrentina, we help along the tenderizing process by boiling the scungilli with a wine cork and vinegar for about an hour.
When the dish is complete The scungilli look almost like chopped porcini in the bowl and the herbs and tomatoes give it vibrant color and texture.
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