Mussel and Tomato Paccheri Pasta
The perfect summer Italian pasta filled with mussels, white wine, and candied tomatoes. These flavors pack a punch to make a delicious paccheri pasta.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 637kcal
Equipment
- light colored sheet pan
- pot
- large bowl
- saute pan
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
Candied Tomatoes
- 15 ounces cherry tomatoes sliced in half lengthwise (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Mussel Paccheri Pasta
- 2 pounds mussels
- 1 cup dry white wine
- coarse sea salt
- 1 pound paccheri pasta
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup finely grated pecorino cheese
- Morton kosher salt to taste
- finely ground black pepper to taste
- finely chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
For Candied Tomatoes
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a light colored sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place tomatoes on prepared sheet pan with the cut side facing up. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until softened and jammy. Set aside
For Mussel Paccheri Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile add mussels to a large bowl of cold water. Add a generous sprinkle of salt and allow to soak for 10 minutes. Drain well. Scrub the shells and debeard the mussels, as needed.
- Add mussels and wine to a large saute pan over medium high heat. Cover and steam just until mussels have opened up. Discard any mussels that did not open. Scrape out the meat of all opened mussels and discard shells. Strain mussel broth and set aside.
- Generously season boiling water with coarse sea salt. Cook paccheri according to the package instructions until slightly softened but still firm, about 10 minutes.
- Add 1 cup (227 grams) reserved mussel broth, olive oil, candied tomatoes, and red pepper flakes to a large saute pan. Transfer the cooked pasta over to the saute pan (reserve the pasta water). Turn heat to high and saute the pasta while vigorously stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Add a ladle (about ¼ cup or 60 ml) of pasta water (pour along the outside of the saute pan not directly on the pasta) and continue vigorously stirring. Repeat this process two to three additional times, adding more pasta water when you hear sizzling until a creamy sauce forms and the pasta is al dente.
- Add mussels back in and cook just until warmed through, about 60 - 90 seconds. Turn off the heat and toss pasta with pecorino. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately. Optionally, garnish with parsley.
Notes
Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat until warmed through.
How To Clean & Debeard Mussels: While many mussels come pre-cleaned, I still never skip this step. Add the mussels to a large bowl of cold water, along with a generous sprinkle of salt. Once they've soaked for 10 minutes, drain, then debeard the mussels. To debeard, grab the fibrous strand (that looks like a beard) coming out of the shell. Using a paper towel, pull it down towards the bottom of the mussel to remove it. Only do this step right before cooking the mussels.
When ladling pasta water onto the paccheri, never pour it directly on the pasta. Rather, pour it along the outer edge of the pan. This will ensure none of the pasta becomes overcooked from directly pouring hot water on top.
If you hear the pasta sizzling, that's your cue to add more pasta water to the pan.
Don't overcook the pasta. Even after cooking the pasta in the pan with the sauce, it should still have a firm bite to it. You never want the pasta to be soft or mushy!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 637kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 632mg | Potassium: 617mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 589IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 226mg | Iron: 5mg
