SERVES 4 TO 6
Just as short-grain rice absorbs and cooks in the flavorful broth of the paella, the thin pasta noodles here do the same. As one story of the dish’s conception goes, a century or so ago a cook on a fishing boat from Gandia, south of Valencia, forgot to stock the larder with rice and instead added small fideos to the paella pan for lunch.
1. In a 15- to 16-inch/28- to 30-cm paella pan or very large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp and prawns and cook, turning over until pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter. (Remove any stray legs or antennae from the pan and discard.) Add the fish and cook until opaque, about 5 minutes.
2. Strain the stock into a clean saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and keep at a low boil.
3. Add the cuttlefish to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until it has browned and released its liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, stirring continually. Add the tomatoes and about ½> cup/100 ml of the stock, and cook until dark and pulpy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the pimentón and saffron, sprinkle in the fideos, and add the reserved shrimp. (Don’t return the prawns yet.) Skin and debone the fish, break into large pieces, and add.
4. Pour over the remaining 7½> cups/1.8 L stock and season with salt. Cook uncovered for 4 minutes. Arrange the prawns across the fideos, and then continue to cook uncovered until the fideos are tender and the liquid has been largely absorbed by the pasta, 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat, cover with paper towels, and let sit for 5 minutes or so. The tips of the pasta on the top layer should curl slightly upward. Serve with the allioli.
NOTE: Use No. 2 fideos or break or cut long, thin pasta, such as spaghettini, vermicelli, or tagliarini, into 1-inch/2.5-cm lengths.
