Fideuà

Fideuà is a Valencian noodle dish in which short noodles are toasted in oil, then cooked in a rich seafood stock until the liquid is absorbed. It is traditionally prepared in a wide shallow pan on the stove or over a fire.

What it really is

Fideuà is built on short thin noodles (fideos), which are fried in olive oil until golden before any liquid is added. The noodles are then cooked with a seafood stock made from fish and shellfish, with garlic, tomato, and sometimes saffron, and with pieces of squid, prawns or shrimp, and other seafood laid on top.

The method is close to paella: the pan is not stirred once the stock goes in, so the noodles soften and crisp slightly on the base. It is the noodles, not rice, that give the dish its name and texture. Fideuà is often confused with paella de mariscos, which uses rice, and with fideos a la cazuela, a soupier noodle dish. The classic version is served with alioli on the side.

How it's served

• Served directly from the wide pan in which it was cooked, for sharing.
• Eaten with alioli spooned onto the noodles or on the side.
• Usually eaten as a main course at lunch, often on the coast of Valencia and Alicante.
• Lemon wedges are commonly offered alongside the seafood.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the noodles and the seafood, for example "Fideuà with squid, prawns and alioli", so the dish is not confused with paella.
• Flag crustaceans, molluscs, fish and egg (alioli) on the allergen list.
• State whether the dish is cooked with fish stock; it is not suitable for vegetarians.
• Specify if the alioli is served on the side or mixed in, and whether the dish is made for one or for sharing.