The pasta with flat-podded beans and mussels is a simple, light and delicious first course to enjoy during the spring/summer months. You can use whatever pasta shape you prefer; in this case I used caserecce which are tossed with flat-podded beans (also called mangetout or Marconi beans — longer than snow peas but smaller) that have been previously boiled, and mussels, either fresh (cleaned and shelled) or frozen to speed up the preparation.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 1 Person
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 3 oz caserecce (or another pasta shape)
- 2 oz flat-podded beans (piattoni)
- 2 oz mussels (frozen, shelled)
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste parsley
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste fine salt
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- 2 Pots
- Skillet
- Colander
- Wooden spoon
- Knife
- Cutting board
Steps
To prepare the pasta with flat-podded beans and mussels…
First, put water to heat in one pot for cooking the flat-podded beans and in a second pot heat the water for cooking the pasta. Meanwhile, trim the flat-podded beans, cutting them into smaller pieces and rinse them under running water.
When the water in both pots comes to a boil, add the flat-podded beans to the first pot and cook them for 10 minutes. In the second pot add the caserecce or your chosen pasta shape and cook according to the time indicated on the package.
In a skillet, pour the extra virgin olive oil and lightly brown a peeled whole clove of garlic, then remove it. Add the cooked flat-podded beans and the thawed frozen mussels (or fresh shelled, washed and cleaned mussels). Cook for a few minutes.
When the pasta is done, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the skillet.
Toss the pasta with the flat-podded beans and mussels for a few minutes, adding a little pasta cooking water if needed. Season with salt and pepper and let it absorb the flavors. Serve the pasta hot with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.
