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1
Tap each mussel and clam firmly against the work surface. Any shell that remains open and does not close is dead — discard it without exception. Live oysters and scallops should feel heavy and resist opening; reject any that rattle or feel light. This is the safety test on which the dish depends: dead shellfish must not reach the table.
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2
Do not wash the shellfish under running water. Retained brine inside each shell is the sole seasoning of the dish; rinsing destroys it.
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3
Lay a deep, even bed of crushed ice across a large serving platter. The ice should be generous enough to keep every shell level and cold without refrigerating the flesh below ambient temperature — the shellfish must be cold, not refrigerator-cold.
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4
Open the oysters and scallops only at the moment of service, using an oyster knife inserted at the hinge. Sever the adductor muscle cleanly, keeping the deeper shell cupped upward so no brine is lost. The shell, once opened, should carry a visible pool of liquor — this confirms the animal is live and the brine intact.
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5
Halve the sea urchin with scissors, cutting around the equator. The roe — five golden tongues arranged inside — should be bright, firm, and vivid in colour. Dull, collapsed, or off-smelling roe indicates age; discard.
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6
Open the mussels and clams by hand or with a short-bladed knife at the point of service. Nestle all opened shells — oysters, scallops, mussels, clams, and halved sea urchin — into the ice bed. Arrange the lemon halves and sliced pane di Altamura alongside. Bring to table immediately; the shellfish are eaten as they are placed, lemon squeezed directly at table by each diner. The natural brine in each shell is the complete sauce — no oil, no vinegar, no further dressing is added.