Ingredients
- 11 oz linguine
- 3.3 lbs mussels
- 1 garlic clove
- Fresh parsley, as needed
- Red chili pepper flakes, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- Salt, to taste
Preparation
Start by cleaning the mussels: soak them in water, remove the beards by hand, and scrub the shells clean of any sand or debris using a scouring pad if needed. Rinse under running water.
Place the mussels in a large pot, cover with a lid, and steam over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until they open.
Strain the mussels, saving their cooking liquid. Pass this liquid through a very fine-mesh strainer and set aside. Discard any mussels that haven't opened.
Remove most of the mussels from their shells, keeping a few in their half shells for garnish.
For the sauce, sauté the peeled and deveined garlic in 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with chili flakes for 2 minutes.
Add the shelled mussels, a couple of ladles of the reserved cooking liquid, and a handful of finely chopped parsley. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the linguine in plenty of salted water for 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and add to the pan with the mussels, including those still in their shells.
Finish cooking the pasta risotto-style using the strained mussel liquid, simmering until the pasta is creamy but still al dente.
To finish, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
Serve these white wine-free linguine with mussels immediately.
