Spaghetti with black mussels

Name: Spaghetti with black mussels
Ingredients: 900 g black mussels; 2 cloves of garlic; olive oil; 3 medium tomatoes; parsley; 500 g spaghetti; salt; pepper; half a glass of white wine

Pasta/Pizza - Spaghetti with black mussels by Carina K. - Recipia

Spaghetti with black mussels is the kind of dinner I prepare when I find fresh shellfish and want something simple, made in one pan. The mussels open up first in the pan, then are removed from their shells and cooked in a sauce with wine, tomatoes, and parsley. The sauce shouldn't reduce too much, as it needs to coat the pasta well at the end. Quick Info Total time: not specified in the original recipe Preparation time: not specified Cooking time: approximately 5 minutes for the mussels to open, then cooking the sauce and pasta until done Servings: not specified; the quantity is suitable for multiple servings Difficulty: easy to medium Recipe type: main course, suitable for lunch or dinner Ingredients 900 g black mussels 2 garlic cloves Olive oil 3 medium tomatoes Parsley 500 g spaghetti Salt Pepper Half a glass of white wine Preparation method 1. Cleaning the mussels Thoroughly clean the black mussels and wash them very well before cooking. It is important that the shellfish are clean, as they will be cooked directly in the pan, along with the wine and tomatoes. 2. Flavoring the oil In a large pan, put olive oil and add the two garlic cloves. Let them cook over medium heat until they turn golden. Watch the garlic carefully, as burning it will give the sauce a bitter taste. 3. Opening the mussels Add the cleaned mussels over the browned garlic and immediately cover the pan with a lid. Let them cook for about 5 minutes until the shells open. Once opened, remove the mussels from their shells with a knife. Be careful, as hot liquid may accumulate inside. Keep the mussels for the next step. 4. Adding the wine Put the mussels back in the pan, then add half a glass of white wine. Let them cook in the wine, then remove the lid to let the steam escape. Cooking should be slow, over low heat. The sauce should not reduce too much. If you notice that the liquid evaporates before the tomatoes are ready, you can add a bit of tomato sauce, as mentioned in the original recipe. 5. The tomatoes and sauce Dice the three medium tomatoes and add them over the mussels. Let the mixture simmer on low heat until the tomatoes cook and soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The sauce should be allowed to simmer slowly, not over high heat. This way, the tomatoes cook gradually, and the mussels remain in the sauce without the liquid disappearing too quickly. 6. Finishing the sauce When the tomatoes are cooked and the sauce has the desired consistency, add the parsley. Stir and let it cook a bit more, just enough to finish cooking. Do not let the sauce become too dry. The spaghetti should be able to be mixed in the pan and coated well with the liquid from the mussels, wine, and tomatoes. 7. Boiling the pasta Boil water and add the spaghetti. Cook them until done, according to the time indicated for the pasta used. After boiling, add the spaghetti to the mussel sauce and mix well. The pasta should be combined with the sauce directly in the pan, so that the tomatoes, wine, garlic, and mussels are evenly distributed. Serve spaghetti with black mussels immediately while the pasta and sauce are warm. Why I make the recipe often I love this recipe because it has few ingredients and does not require complicated preparation. The mussels give flavor to the sauce, and the tomatoes and wine keep it light and suitable for pasta. The most important thing is to work over low heat and not let the sauce reduce too much before adding the spaghetti. Tips Clean and wash the mussels well before putting them in the pan. In the original recipe, they are left for about 5 minutes under the lid until they open. After adding the wine and tomatoes, cook on low heat. Slow cooking helps the tomatoes cook without the liquid evaporating too quickly. Keep an eye on the amount of sauce in the pan. If it reduces too much, you can add a bit of tomato sauce. Season to taste. The mussels and wine already contribute to the flavor of the sauce, so it's better to add salt gradually. Add the parsley towards the end, after the tomatoes are cooked. Substitutions Medium tomatoes can be replaced with tomato sauce, especially if the sauce reduces too much during cooking. This is mentioned in the original recipe as a solution for adjusting the amount of liquid. If you do not have spaghetti, the recipe can also be made with another type of pasta, but the original version uses 500 g of spaghetti. There is no recommended substitute for black mussels, as they are the main ingredient of the recipe and provide the specific flavor of the dish. Variations You can keep the sauce more or less liquid, depending on how much sauce you want to remain on the pasta. The important thing is not to let it reduce completely before mixing with the spaghetti. The amount of salt and pepper can be adjusted at the end, after the wine and tomatoes have cooked together with the mussels. The recipe can be made with more or fewer pasta, but in the original version, 500 g of spaghetti is used for 900 g of mussels. Serving ideas The spaghetti is served immediately after being mixed with the sauce. The parsley is added to the pan at the end and remains a suitable element for serving. It is preferable for the pasta to be combined with the sauce while warm, so that the tomato and mussel sauce distributes well among the spaghetti. Frequently asked questions How long do the mussels cook under the lid? In the original recipe, the mussels are left for about 5 minutes under the lid until they open. After that, they are removed from their shells with a knife and added to the sauce along with the wine. What do I do if the sauce reduces too much? If the liquid evaporates too quickly, add a bit of tomato sauce. The recipe recommends cooking on low heat and not letting the sauce reduce too much. When is the parsley added? The parsley is added after the tomatoes have cooked and the sauce is almost finished. It is stirred in the pan, then cooking is completed. Can I prepare the sauce before the pasta? Yes, the sauce is prepared beforehand, and the pasta is boiled separately. At the end, the boiled spaghetti is added to the pan with the sauce and mussels and mixed well. Is white wine necessary? White wine is part of the original recipe and is added after the mussels have opened. The indicated amount is half a glass. Nutritional values The values below are estimates and may vary depending on the amount of oil used, the size of the mussels, and the number of servings. The calculation is approximate for 4 servings: Calories: approximately 570 kcal per serving Protein: approximately 27 g Carbohydrates: approximately 94 g Fat: approximately 8 g Most of the carbohydrates come from the 500 g of spaghetti, while the mussels mainly contribute protein. The olive oil most influences the final amount of fat and calories, as no exact amount is specified in the recipe. Storage and reheating Spaghetti with mussels is best served immediately, as the pasta absorbs the sauce as it sits. If there are leftover portions, store them in the refrigerator in a closed container and consume them as soon as possible. When reheating, use low heat and warm the dish gradually to avoid drying out the sauce and overcooking the mussels. The dish does not keep as well as when freshly made, especially due to the pasta and seafood.

Spaghetti with black mussels

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