Seafood pasta / Mediterranean main course
A rustic Mediterranean pasta with sweet mussels, creamy chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and a light seafood broth that coats every farfalle beautifully.
Recipe video
Rinse the mussels under cold water. Pull away the beards and scrub the shells. Discard any cracked mussels or any open mussels that do not close when tapped.
Warm 15 ml / 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the mussels and white wine, cover, and cook for 4–5 minutes until the shells open.
Lift the mussels out with a slotted spoon. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and reserve about 180 ml / ¾ cup. Discard any mussels that stayed closed.
Remove most mussels from their shells, keeping a few in shells for serving.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 30 ml / 2 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until soft but not browned.
Add garlic and chili flakes. Stir for 30 seconds, then add cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, black pepper, and a small pinch of salt. Cook for 6–7 minutes until juicy.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the farfalle until just al dente, usually 1 minute less than the package suggests.
Add the reserved mussel broth to the chickpea-tomato sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes, gently pressing a few chickpeas to make the sauce creamy.
Drain the pasta, reserving 120 ml / ½ cup pasta water. Add farfalle and shelled mussels to the skillet. Toss for 1–2 minutes, adding pasta water as needed.
Finish with parsley, lemon zest, and the mussels in shells. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and olive oil before serving hot.
