Cavatelli with a Spicy Tomato Mussel Sauce

Cavatelli with a Spicy Tomato Mussel Sauce is a wonderful southern Italian dish typical of the coastal area of the Puglia region.

We order everything online now that we are in lockdown which is infinitely safer than going to a grocery store ourselves. The one caveat with our favorite store is that orders must be for a minimum of €80. Not like the old days when we could dash to the store on a daily basis to purchase our fresh ingredients and staples as needed for the day.

We adore seafood and although many things like salmon can be frozen this isn’t the case with shellfish. So to get around this we try to prepare shellfish in a way that it can be kept in the refrigerator, either fresh or cooked, for several days and even a bit more. That’s what I did with the mussels for this Cavatelli with a Spicy Tomato Mussel Sauce dish and I have to say it was exquisite! 

For 4 people

Ingredients:
400 g cavatelli
For the mussels:
1 kg mussels
4 medium peeled & seeded tomatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
For the pasta sauce:
One 8 oz (225 g) can of peeled tomatoes
One small onion, finely minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
One chili pepper (peperoncino), crumbled or minced
1 ½ teaspoon salt
A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Procedure:
For the cavatelli:
You can use store-bought cavatelli or prepare your own.
If you make your own cavatelli follow my cavatelli recipe (you'll find the post tomorrow).

For the sauce:
To prepare the mussels:
In a pot large enough to hold the mussels, sizzle 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil with a peeled and smashed garlic clove until the garlic clove begins to sizzle.
Add 4 medium, peeled & seeded tomatoes to the garlic and olive oil.
If tomatoes aren’t in season use canned peeled tomatoes instead along with a bit of the juice from the can.
Cover and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
Use a fork or a potato masher to mash the tomatoes.
Now add the mussels to the pan and cover.
Cook on high until all the mussels have opened up.
Occasionally stir the mussels so they all have enough space to open up.
Just as soon as the shells have opened up remove the pan from the stove.
Once the mussels are cool enough to handle remove them from their shells.
Strain the mussels cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer to remove any sandy or grainy particles.
Set the mussels and cooking liquid aside while you prepare the tomato sauce.
To prepare the tomato sauce:
Sizzle the finely minced white onion in 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
Once the onion is soft and translucent add the chili pepper, salt and canned tomatoes.

Cover and simmer over a low flame until the tomatoes are soft.
Stir the sauce occasionally and use a fork or a potato masher to mash the tomatoes.
When the sauce is done (the oil starts to float to the top) add the shelled mussels and their cooking liquid.
Cook the sauce over a low flame for a minute – just enough so the flavors blend together.
To cook the cavatelli:
While the sauce is cooking bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. The water should taste like the sea.
Cook the cavatelli according to package instructions or until al dente.
Bear in mind that cavatelli, as it is an eggless pasta, will have a slightly denser, chewier texture.
While the pasta is cooking mince the parsley.
When the cavatelli are cooked drain them and reserve just a bit of the pasta cooking water (⅓ cup).
To serve the cavatelli:
Toss the cavatelli and the sauce together in your serving bowl.
If the pasta seems a bit dry add a tiny bit of pasta cooking water, just enough to make the sauce creamier.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Note: This recipe is for 4 people but can easily serve 6 people using smaller portions.

Please note that the below printable recipe can be viewed and printed in either metric or U.S. conventional measurements; just click on your preference within the recipe.

Cavatelli with a Spicy Tomato Mussel Sauce 

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Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cavatelli with a Spicy Tomato Mussel Sauce is a wonderful southern Italian dish typical of the coastal areas Puglia.

Course: First Course, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cavatelli, mussels, pasta

Servings: 4

1x2x3x

Ingredients 

Metric - U.S. Customary

• 400 g cavatelli

For the mussels:

• 1 kg mussels
• 4 medium peeled & seeded tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove peeled and smashed

For the pasta sauce:

• One 8 oz 225 g can of peeled tomatoes
• One small onion finely minced
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• One chili pepper peperoncino, crumbled or minced
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• A handful of fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

For the cavatelli:

• You can use store-bought cavatelli or prepare your own.
• If you make your own cavatelli follow this cavatelli recipe.
• For the sauce:

To prepare the mussels:

• In a pot large enough to hold the mussels, sizzle 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil with a peeled and smashed garlic clove until the garlic clove begins to sizzle.
• Add 4 medium, peeled & seeded tomatoes to the garlic and olive oil.
• If tomatoes aren’t in season use canned peeled tomatoes instead along with a bit of the juice from the can.
• Cover and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
• Use a fork or a potato masher to mash the tomatoes.
• Now add the mussels to the pan and cover.
• Cook on high until all the mussels have opened up.
• Occasionally stir the mussels so they all have enough space to open up.
• Just as soon as the shells have opened up remove the pan from the stove.
• Once the mussels are cool enough to handle remove them from their shells.
• Strain the mussels cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer to remove any sandy or grainy particles.
• Set the mussels and cooking liquid aside while you prepare the tomato sauce.

To prepare the tomato sauce:

• Sizzle the finely minced white onion in 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
• Once the onion is soft and translucent add the chili pepper, salt and canned tomatoes.
• Cover and simmer over a low flame until the tomatoes are soft.
• Stir the sauce occasionally and use a fork or a potato masher to mash the tomatoes.
• When the sauce is done (the oil starts to float to the top) add the shelled mussels and their cooking liquid.
• Cook the sauce over a low flame for a minute – just enough so the flavors blend together.
• To cook the cavatelli:
• While the sauce is cooking bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. The water should taste like the sea.
• Cook the cavatelli according to package instructions or until al dente.
• Bear in mind that cavatelli, as it is an eggless pasta, will have a slightly denser, chewier texture.
• While the pasta is cooking mince the parsley.
• When the cavatelli are cooked drain them and reserve just a bit of the pasta cooking water (⅓ cup).
• To serve the cavatelli:
• Toss the cavatelli in the sauce in your serving bowl.
• If the pasta seems a bit add a tiny bit of pasta cooking water, just enough to make the sauce creamier.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Notes

Note: This recipe is for 4 people but can easily serve 6 people using smaller portions.

Nutrition

Serving: 85g | Calories: 679kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1246mg | Potassium: 778mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 7mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

You might also enjoy my recipe for Orecchiette with Spicy Baby Calamari 

Or this Broccoli with Mussel Curry

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