Pasta with broccoli and mussels is a flavorful first course that’s very easy to make and perfect for any occasion. To prepare this dish with mussels and broccoli, I used Bigoli, a typical pasta shape from Veneto, similar to spaghetti but much thicker. Nowadays, Bigoli are also produced artisanally by local companies, both fresh and dry. They used to be homemade with a special press called a “bigolaro“. I used sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh ones to add more flavor to the dish without altering the colors.
I recommend also trying the BIGOLI IN CASSOPIPA WITH SHELLFISH, Bigoli with radicchio and sausage, and the classic and widespread Bigoli in sauce.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for making pasta with broccoli and mussels
- 9 oz Bigoli (fresh)
- 1.5 lbs mussels
- 9 oz broccoli
- 1 oz sun-dried tomatoes
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 3.4 fl oz white wine
- 1 oz onion
Preparation
Start preparing the pasta with broccoli and mussels by washing the mussels thoroughly under running water, cleaning them well externally and removing all incrustations, also detaching the beard that sticks out from the shells. Wash the broccoli, get the florets and cut in half, or even more for the larger ones.
Pour water into a pot, bring it to a boil, add salt and the broccoli, cook them for 10 minutes. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes into julienne and set aside. When the broccoli are well cooked, remove them from the water using a slotted spoon and pour the Bigoli into the water, so the pasta will absorb the flavor.
Pour some extra virgin olive oil into a pan, add a clove of garlic and let it flavor for a few minutes, then add the previously washed mussels, pepper them, and deglaze with the wine. Let the mussels open over high heat with the lid on, which will take about 5 minutes.
When the mussels are ready, remove them from the heat and let them rest for a few minutes, then discard the mussels that remain closed, remove the shellfish from the open ones, keeping some with the shell aside for serving them on the plate.
Pour a drizzle of oil and some chopped onion into a pan, sauté, add the sun-dried tomatoes and a splash of the pasta cooking water, add the broccoli, cook for 5 minutes, then mix the Bigoli and mussels into the sauce, making sure to coat well. If necessary, add some pasta cooking water so the pasta is creamy.
Serve the pasta with broccoli and mussels hot, with some mussels in the shell.
