Pasta and Seafood “Paella”

A close relative of paella, fideuà includes short noodles instead of rice. But like paella, it features a variety of fresh seafood. The one-pot dish originated in Valencia, on Spain’s southeastern coast, but today often is associated with Catalonia, in the northeastern part of the country. It typically is made with short, thin noodles known as fideos, though angel hair or vermicelli pasta, broken into 2-inch lengths, works equally well. First they’re tossed with olive oil and toasted to impart a deep, nutty taste. The noodles then are cooked along with the seafood so they absorb the flavorful broth, which we season with smoked paprika. A dollop of garlicky aioli finishes this rich and briny dish in the traditional style.