Prep time: 35 mins | Cook time: 10 mins | Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 can chopped or whole tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves nicely crushed
- 1 shallot, chopped or a small onion
- 1 glass of white wine for you, another for the dish
- 1 kilo mussels
- Good splash of extra-virgin olive oil
- A pinch of chilli flakes
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- Pinch sugar
- Salt to taste
- Pasta to serve 3-4
- A large handful of chopped flat leaf parsley
Instructions:
- Give your mussels a good rinse in cold water.
- Squeeze each mussel closed and leave on the side for 2 minutes discarding any that have not slightly reopened after 2 mins and those with broken shells. Don't worry, these packs are overstocked to allow for the odd discard
- Mash your tomatoes and set aside
- Start heating a large pot of water on the hob for the pasta
- Combine your garlic, shallot with white wine in another pan, pop on a lid and bring to the boil
- Once boiling, turn down the heat and add your juicy mussels
- Cover and cook for 2-4 mins, shaking pan from time to time or until mussels open up. Using tongs remove from the broth and place the mussels into a bowl. Discard any that do not open and set aside a your pan of juicy mussel broth for later
- Leave your mussels to cool in their bowl then remove from their shells
- Start cooking your pasta
- Heat your olive oil over medium heat in a pan and add your chilli flakes. Gently cook for less than a minute then add your tomatoes, thyme and sugar
- Turn heat up, stir regularly and cook for a further 5 minutes
- Add a good splash of your mussel broth and stir till it simmers
- Add any salt to taste and tip your bowl of mussels into your tommy sauce and cover to keep warm
- Drain and serve your cooked pasta with the tomato mussels sauce and add plenty of parsley to serve, enjoy!
