Cavatelli with beans and mussels

Cavatelli with beans and mussels is a delicious dish that combines flavors of the sea with those of the land, typical of Southern Italian cuisine, particularly from Apulia. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 500 g of cavatelli (typical Apulian fresh pasta)
• 400 g of fresh mussels
• 240 g of cannellini beans (soaked if dry or use canned)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 400 g of peeled tomatoes
• Chopped parsley to taste (as much as you need)
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Chili pepper (optional)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. If you’re using dried beans, remember to soak them the night before and cook them until they are tender. If you opt for canned beans, drain and rinse them.
2. Clean the mussels thoroughly, removing the byssus (“beard”) and scraping off the outer incrustations. Rinse them under running water.
3. In a large frying pan, add a drizzle of oil and the peeled garlic cloves. If you like, you can also add a small piece of chili pepper. Sauté lightly.
4. Add the mussels to the pan, cover with a lid, and cook until they open. At this point, remove the mussels from the pan and strain the released liquid, which will be used later.
5. Shell most of the mussels, leaving some in their shells for the final presentation of the dish.
6. In the same pan, add the peeled tomatoes and crush them with a fork to let out their juice. Add the strained mussel liquid and bring to a light boil.
7. Add the previously cooked or drained beans and the cavatelli. Gently stir and cook for the time indicated on the cavatelli package or until the pasta is al dente.
8. Towards the end of cooking, add the shelled mussels and let everything flavor for a few minutes.
9. Adjust the salt if necessary, and add chopped parsley for freshness.
10. Serve on plates, garnishing with the mussels left in their shells and a sprinkle of fresh parsley if you wish.

Curiosity

This dish is an example of how Southern Italian cuisine manages to combine simple ingredients from the land and the sea to create surprising harmonies of flavors. Additionally, the cavatello is a pasta with the ideal shape and texture to retain the sauce and blend perfectly with the other ingredients.