Non-VegetarianPugliese cuisine Main Course

Spaghetti con le Cozze

Name: Spaghetti con le Cozze
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Pugliese
Ingredients: 1 kg fresh mussels (cozze); 400 g Spaghetti; 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 3 pieces Garlic cloves; 25 g fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 tsp Black peppercorns; 10 g Fine sea salt

Spaghetti tossed with plump mussels, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and their own rich, briny liquor.

🇮🇹Italy· Apulia

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 510 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

1 kg fresh mussels (cozze) — scrubbed and debearded
400 g Spaghetti — bronze-die durum wheat pasta
60 ml Extra virgin olive oil — Pugliese robust oil preferred
3 pieces Garlic cloves — peeled and lightly crushed
25 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — leaves finely chopped, stems reserved
1 tsp Black peppercorns — coarsely cracked
10 g Fine sea salt — for pasta cooking water

Equipment

•Large stockpot
•Deep sauté pan with tight lid
•Fine mesh sieve
•Tongs

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 510 kcal
fat: 12 g
carbs: 76 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 24 g
calories: 510 kcal

Instructions

1
Scrub the mussel shells clean under cold running water and pull away the fibrous beards.
2
Discard any cracked shells or mussels that do not close when firmly tapped.
3
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a wide pan over high heat with the parsley stems and one garlic clove.
4
Tip in the cleaned mussels, cover with a tight lid, and steam for three minutes until the shells pop open.
5
Pour the mussels into a colander set over a large bowl to capture every drop of cooking liquor.
6
Strain the collected liquor through a fine mesh sieve lined with paper towel to remove all sand.
7
Remove two-thirds of the mussels from their shells, keeping the remaining third in their half-shells for presentation.
8
Drop the spaghetti into a pot of boiling, lightly salted water and cook until two minutes shy of al dente.
9
In the wide pan, sizzle the remaining crushed garlic and olive oil over medium heat until pale golden.
10
Pour in the strained mussel liquor and bring it to a rapid, bubbling simmer.
11
Transfer the undercooked spaghetti directly into the pan using tongs and toss constantly to form a glossy sauce.
12
Add all the mussels, chopped parsley leaves, and cracked black pepper, tossing for thirty seconds before serving.

Chef's tips

Salt the pasta cooking water very lightly, as the filtered mussel broth is naturally savoury. Never overcook the mussels during the initial steaming; remove them from the heat the moment their shells open to keep them plump and tender. Vigorous tossing of the pasta in the simmering mussel liquor releases starches that naturally emulsify with the olive oil.

Ingredient substitutions

spaghetti → linguine or spaghettoni
fresh mussels (cozze) → clams (vongole), adjusting steaming time slightly

Storage

Best enjoyed immediately; leftover pasta can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a wide frying pan over low heat with a splash of warm water until just heated through.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Failing to strain the mussel liquor, resulting in unpleasant gritty sand in the finished pasta.
•Heavily salting the pasta boiling water, which makes the combined dish excessively salty.
•Adding grated cheese, which overpowers the delicate oceanic sweetness of fresh mussels.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately in warm wide bowls with crusty Pugliese durum wheat bread to mop up the juices.Pair with a chilled glass of dry Apulian white wine such as Locorotondo or Bombino Bianco.