Mussels are a staple of southern Italian cooking. I found that no matter what dinner table I sat at or what restaurant we ate at while visiting family in Monte di Procida and Ischia mussels were always part of the meal, either as an appetizer, on bruschetta, on spaghetti in a soup or even on a vegetable side dish. I am surprised I didn’t see it on a dessert. The following is a simple yet delicious recipe to bring la vita gustosa of Napolitano cooking at your table!
Ingredients
24 small fresh mussels
One 25 oz jar 825 MAIN Marinara Sauce
1 lb linguine
Procedure
Place washed debearded mussels in a lidded pot turn on medium while steaming shake pot twice. When mussels are opened take off burner and let cooled. Once cooled, reserve liquid and shuck mussels. Place shucked mussels and mussel water in a heavy large skillet. Add jar of Marinara sauce. (If you don’t mind the shells you can also add the mussels shell and all right to the marinara sauce and the heat will open the mussels and release the liquid into the marinara sauce making a most delicious sauce.) Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of water to boil with 1/2 teaspoon salt, once boiling add pasta. After 7 minutes drain pasta. Pour pasta back into empty pot adding mussel sauce and toss together and serve.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 4