The ORECCHIETTE WITH MUSSELS AND CONFIT CHERRY TOMATOES is a simple and tasty first course, perfect to prepare on many occasions when you want to cheer your guests with a dish of authentic Italian peasant cuisine, rich in flavor and aromas, which makes the most of its simple and very tasty ingredients.
The dish is an explosion of Mediterranean flavors: the sweetness of the confit cherry tomatoes balances the briny taste of the mussels, while the orecchiette, with their unique texture, perfectly collect the sauce, offering a rich and flavorful bite with every mouthful.
Preparing these orecchiette takes little effort and very little time, except for the preparation of the confit cherry tomatoes, which is very easy but requires a somewhat long cooking time. In a few minutes you can bring a truly tasty dish to the table, inexpensive and very satisfying for everyone.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4Servings
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs orecchiette
- 2.2 lbs mussels
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 hot chili pepper
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1 3/4 cups cherry tomatoes
- Half glass white wine
- to taste salt
- 1 bunch parsley
Tools
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Pan
- 1 Pot
- Parchment paper
- 1 Scrubber steel
- 1 Strainer
Steps
First of all, start with the longest preparation, that is the confit cherry tomatoes, following my recipe.
Wash the mussels under cold running water. Check for any encrustations and remove them if necessary with a metal scrubber or a small knife.
Discard any mussels that have an open or broken shell, remove the byssus (the cluster of threads that protrudes) by pulling it out with your fingers or a knife, and rinse the mussels again until the water runs clear.
Put a drizzle of oil in a pan, add the garlic and the chopped chili. Sauté everything over low heat for 5 minutes. Tilt the pan to flavor the oil without burning the garlic and chili.
Add the drained mussels, the white wine, cover with a lid and let them open over high heat. As soon as they open, turn off the heat and remove the mussels.
Strain the cooking liquid and return it to the pan.
Shell the mussels and add them to the liquid. Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in boiling salted water. Drain them while still al dente directly into the cooking liquid, add the cherry tomatoes and finish cooking.
With the heat off, add the chopped parsley and stir.
Plate the orecchiette with mussels and confit cherry tomatoes and enjoy them piping hot.
