Spaghetti with Mussels & Tomato

📝 Ingredients

• 2 kg bouchot (rope-grown) mussels
• 320 g spaghetti
• 4 garlic cloves + 1 shallot (about 30 g)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 100 ml water
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 1 tbsp tomato purée (15 g)
• 20 g fresh parsley
• ½ lemon (zest + a squeeze of juice)
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Large casserole dish with lid
• Large saucepan
• Large sauté pan
• Colander and mixing bowl
• Coffee filter or fine tea towel
• Fine grater

📖 Steps

1. Wash the mussels in the sink under cold water, rubbing them against each other. Remove the threads (the beard) by pulling towards the pointed end. Discard any broken mussels and any that stay open after a sharp tap on the worktop.
2. Peel the garlic and shallot, finely chop the garlic and finely dice the shallot. Wash the parsley, separate the stalks from the leaves and finely chop the leaves. Zest the half lemon with a fine grater, avoiding the bitter white pith.
3. In a large stockpot, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat with half the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the mussels, parsley stalks and water, cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes over high heat, shaking the pot, until all the mussels have opened.
4. Tip the mussels into a colander set over a bowl to catch their juices. Discard any that remain closed and the parsley stalks. Strain the juice through a coffee filter or fine tea towel to remove any sand. Shell about three quarters of the mussels.
5. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and salt it lightly, as the mussel juice is already salty. Cook the spaghetti for 2 minutes less than the packet time: they will finish cooking in the sauce.
6. Meanwhile, heat the rest of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Soften the shallot and remaining garlic for 2 minutes without colouring, add the tomato purée for 1 minute, then the tomatoes and 150 ml of the strained juice. Simmer for 8 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
7. Drain the spaghetti, keeping a ladleful of cooking water, and add them to the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring and adding a little mussel juice or cooking water, until the pasta is al dente and well coated.
8. Off the heat, add all the mussels, shelled or not, the parsley, zest and a squeeze of lemon juice, season with pepper and toss for 30 seconds, just to warm them through: overcooked, they turn rubbery. Serve immediately.