Spaghetti with smoked mussels and red pepper

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

(This one's for Ady)

This is a simple pasta dish with a slightly smoky flavor imparted by the canned smoked mussels. This dish also works well with other canned fish and seafood such as smoked oysters, tuna, sardines, or anchovies. You can also use fresh basil instead of parsley.

Serves 2
7 oz (200g) dried spaghetti
3 oz (90g) canned smoked mussels — drained
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion – finely diced
1 red pepper — diced
2 cloves garlic — minced
14 oz (420g) canned tomatoes — chopped
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and red pepper for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 8 minutes. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the mussels, parsley and reserved tablespoon of olive oil to the sauce. Drain the cooked pasta into a colander and put the sauce in the bottom of the pot. Top with the hot pasta and toss together gently to combine.