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Pasta chickpeas and mussels

17/11/2023

Pasta with chickpeas and mussels is a dish that combines the flavors of the sea with those of the land in a truly tasty union. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 320 g of pasta (usually a short pasta like ditalini, orecchiette, or tubetti)
  • 400 g of cleaned mussels
  • 240 g of cooked chickpeas (you can use canned chickpeas for a quicker version)
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 chili pepper (optional)
  • 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • Chopped fresh parsley to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste (optional)
  • 150 ml of tomato puree or peeled tomatoes

Preparation

  1. In a sufficiently large pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and sauté the garlic (and chili pepper if you desire) until it becomes golden. If you prefer, you can remove the garlic once golden to have a less intense flavor.

  2. Add the mussels to the sauté, cover with a lid, and cook until they have opened. Once opened, remove the mussels from the heat and set them aside. If you find any mussels that haven’t opened, it’s better to discard them as they might not be good.

  3. In the liquid left by the mussels, now add the chickpeas, previously drained if using canned ones. Let them flavor and cook together for a few minutes.

  4. Pour the tomato puree or peeled tomatoes into the pan with the chickpeas, add a little water if necessary, and adjust for salt. Let it simmer over moderate heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.

  5. Meanwhile, in a separate pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente, following the cooking time instructions on the package.

  6. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water, and transfer it to the pan with the chickpeas and the sauce. Add the mussels, a pinch of pepper (if you’re using it), and some of the pasta cooking water to bind everything together. Mix carefully to amalgamate the ingredients.

  7. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve your hot pasta with chickpeas and mussels immediately.

Curiosity

The combination of legumes and seafood is not unusual in Mediterranean cuisine. In particular, chickpeas are widely used in Italian cooking and match well with the sweetness of mussels. This dish is an excellent example of how southern Italian cooking often succeeds in harmoniously uniting sea ingredients with those of the land.

I hope you can enjoy this flavorful dish! If you don’t have mussels, remember that you could also experiment with other seafood like clams or shrimp.