Ingredients:

  • 1 kg fresh mussels, live, scrubbed and debearded
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 60 ml dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 400g high-quality spaghetti
  • 80g Pecorino Romano DOP, finely grated
  • 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried chili flakes
  • Reserved pasta water

Instructions:

  1. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add smashed garlic and parsley stalks; sauté until fragrant.
  2. Add the scrubbed mussels to the skillet and pour in the white wine. Cover immediately with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 3–4 minutes until all mussels have opened.
  3. Remove the mussels from the skillet. Discard shells (reserve a few for garnish) and meat from the remaining. Filter the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any sand.
  4. Boil the spaghetti in salted water. Remove the pasta 3 minutes before the package instructions indicate al dente; it should be firm in the center.
  5. Toast black pepper and chili flakes in the empty skillet. Add the filtered mussel broth and the undercooked pasta to the skillet.
  6. Finish cooking the pasta 'risottata' style in the broth, adding a splash of pasta water if needed until a starchy sauce forms. Remove from heat.
  7. Perform the 'mantecatura': add the finely grated Pecorino Romano and mussel meat. Toss vigorously off-heat to create a silken, creamy emulsion. Serve immediately, garnished with reserved mussel shells.