Steamed Mussels and Fettuccine (Cozze e Fettuccine)

We live in Nettuno, a beach town one hour south of Rome. The only thing Italians love as much as sun tanning on the beach is sauntering up from their sun beds into the Borgo for a steaming plate of mussels and pasta.

This recipe is easy with no special technique needed. My favorite part of making this dish is buying the mussels. In every seaside town you can buy Mussels, usually 2€ a kilo which is enough for two people who love them or four people who aren’t sure about it. I love buying them in San Felice when we we venture that direction to take a hike up the profile of Circeo, the headland mountain range that is said to be the witch from Homers Odyssey, or spending a lazy day on the beach in the shadow of the Castle. We end the day with a quick stop at the clam and mussel farm that all of the expensive restaurants buy from. I love buying them fresh right from the source where they are still living and breathing creatures. Here they filter them through clean aeriated water tanks that insure the mussels will be sand and grit free.

Steamed Mussels and Fettuccine (Cozze e Fettuccine)

1 pound mussels

1/2 pound fettuccini pasta

1/2 can diced tomatoes

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

Red pepper flakes

Fresh Pasley chopped

Once we have arrived home, Jeff gets busy removing their little seagrass beards at the kitchen sink while I get some water boiling for the fettuccine. Jeff sets a large pot on the stove with a little olive oil and a few chopped cloves of garlic. Jeff is in charge of these steps because he is much more patient and detailed oriented than me. The garlic must be cooked low and slow, two words not in my cooking vocabulary. Add the fettuccini to the boiling water. Then he will add the dried red pepper flakes and a half a can diced to tomatoes. He dumps in his mussels into the pot and covers with a lid. In just a few minutes the mussels have popped open and released their own juices, filling the pot with liquid. This is why you don’t need to add white wine or water, the mussels create their own delicious sea flavored water. Transfer the mussels and some of their water into a large bowl for serving. Top with chopped fresh parsley. Meanwhile ladle the fettuccini that has cooked to the “al dente” stage into a skillet with the remaining mussels and tomato water. Continue to stir and cook the pasta until it forms a light “creamy” sauce that forms due to the starchy water from the fettuccini and evaporating mussel water. Serve in another large bowl topped with chopped Parsley. Italians would NEVER add Parmesan cheese to the top of this fettuccini because sea food must NEVER be served with dairy. What, are you CRAZY? Anyway, if you want to, I won’t tell anyone…

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