Italian Pasta With Mussels

This spaghetti with mussels alla Tarantina is a delicious and easy seafood pasta dish that brings the flavors of Puglia to your table. It’s a simple recipe that’s sure to impress, and it’s so good, you’ll want to make it again and again!

A Taste of Taranto

This recipe originates from Taranto, a city in Puglia known for its high-quality mussels. Tarantine mussels, with their large size and whitish color, are cultivated in the unique marine environment of the Mar Piccolo, where freshwater springs mix with saltwater. This special environment gives the mussels their distinctive sweet taste.

Ingredients

Spaghetti (or linguine, or spaghetti alla chitarra)
Fresh mussels
Fresh tomatoes (or good quality tomato passata)
Fresh or dried peperoncino (chili pepper)
White wine (optional)
Olive oil
Garlic
Parsley

Instructions

Prepare the Mussels: Clean the mussels thoroughly, removing any barnacles or debris.
Cook the Mussels: In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add garlic. Add the mussels and cook until they open, discarding any that remain closed.
Make the Sauce: Add the tomatoes (or passata) and peperoncino to the skillet. If using, add white wine. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
Cook the Pasta: Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
Combine: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the mussel sauce. Toss to coat.
Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Tips and Variations

Mussels in Shells: Leaving most of the mussels in their shells adds to the presentation and makes the dish more fun to eat.
Mussels without Pasta: The mussel sauce is delicious on its own, served as a first course with crusty bread for dipping.
Wine: White wine adds another layer of flavor to the sauce, but it can be omitted if preferred.
Peperoncino: Adjust the amount of peperoncino to your spice preference.
Fresh or Dried: You can use fresh or dried peperoncino.

A Simple and Impressive Dish

This spaghetti with mussels alla Tarantina is a testament to how simple ingredients and fresh seafood can create a truly memorable meal. It’s a dish that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion, and it’s sure to transport you to the beautiful coast of Puglia.

Traditional Spaghetti with Mussels alla Tarantina

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 635 kcal per serving

Ingredients:

1 kg (2.2 lbs) fresh mussels
400 g (14 oz) spaghetti alla chitarra (or normal spaghetti or linguine)
500 g (13.5 oz) small tomatoes, cut into quarters (or 350 g tomato passata)
1 tsp peperoncino flakes (red chili pepper) or chopped fresh peperoncino
3 garlic cloves (2 chopped finely, 1 whole and peeled)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
100 ml (3.5 oz) white wine
Salt (for pasta and to taste)
Ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

Prepare Mussels:
- Wash the mussels well, removing debris from the shells with a wire brush and removing the beards.
Cook Mussels:
- In a deep pan or skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil with the peeled garlic clove and some chopped parsley.
- Add the mussels and white wine, allowing the alcohol to evaporate. Cover the pan and remove from heat once the mussels’ shells have opened.
- Let the mussels cool, then discard any that didn’t open. Keep 3-4 mussels per person in their shells and remove the rest from their shells. Set aside the mussel cooking liquid after filtering it.
Boil Pasta:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Add salt once the water begins to boil.
Make the Sauce:
- In a frying pan, sauté the chopped garlic and peperoncino flakes in 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Add the finely chopped tomatoes or tomato passata, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper. Simmer for 5-10 minutes over low heat.
- Add the mussels (both with and without shells) and their filtered cooking liquid to the tomato sauce. Continue cooking over low heat for a few minutes until the liquid reduces to a good consistency.
Cook Pasta:
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, then add it to the pan with the mussels and tomato sauce. Mix everything well.
Serve:
- Plate the pasta and mussels, placing 3-4 mussels in their shells on each plate.
- Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and serve.

Notes:

This dish can also be served with bread instead of pasta. If using bread, it’s better to leave most mussels in their shells.
Adjust the spiciness by adding more peperoncino based on your heat preference!