Shellfish Stew alla Tarantina

Ingredients

• 1 pound calamari cleaned
• 1 pound cockles scrubbed drained
• 1 cup cooking wine dry white
• 2 pounds mussels scrubbed
• 12  dozens oysters with liquid reserved
• 1  bell pepper red cored seeded chopped
• 1 medium onion red chopped
• 4 slices rustic bread hard toasted
• 1 pound shrimp deveined peeled
• 2 tablespoons freshly thyme leaves chopped
• 1 cup basic tomato sauce 
• 6 tablespoons virgin olive oil 
• 1  bell pepper yellow cored seeded chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan

Directions

1. Cut calamari into 1/2-inch rings and check oysters for sand and bits of shell.
2. In a 4 quart saucepan, heat olive oil until smoking.
3. Add onion, peppers and thyme leaves and cook until softened but not brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Add wine and tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
5. Add clams, shrimp and mussels and cover. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until clams have all opened.
6. Add calamari and cook 2 minutes until opaque. Season with salt and pepper, add oysters and oyster liquid and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until oysters have tightened around outer edges. Divide shellfish over pieces of bread in 4 bowls, pour in broth and serve.