Mussels & Pasta in Tomatosauce

Mussels was far from my favorite thing when I was younger. The sheer look of the bivalve molluscs scared the shit out of me to be honest, and when I finally summoned the courage to give it a-go, the gooey, slimy and chewy interior, disgusted me. But with all things – coffee, beer, olives, talk radio – you grow up – and you learn to love it.

Mussels are simple to prepare, they take on flavour very well, and they just taste awesome. I’ve tried mussels in many different variations and just adding a simple tomato sauce, some wine and pasta and you have a complete dish, even your 14 month old child will enjoy – trust me on that!

Mussels in Tomato Sauce (3-4 people)

3 pounds (1.5 kg) – Mussels (rinsed and de-bearded)

500 grams – Pasta (any shape or size or spaghetti)

1 can – crushed tomatoes

2 cloves – of garlic (finely chopped)

½ cup – dry white wine

parsley – finely chopped

loafs of toasted bread (optional)

oil

salt

(*buy your fresh mussels, or other awesome stuff – directly from Amazon)

 

Start by boiling your pasta in salt to a nice al dente.

Fry the chopped garlic in a large pot, in some oil, add the tomatoes and the white wine. Let it cook for a minute or so and add the mussels. Put a lid on the pot and let them sit for a few minutes, until they start to open up. Discard any closed mussels.

Serve in a big bowl on top of the pasta (don’t forget all the delicious liquid), and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with bread, to soak up excess liquid (if you choose).