Vera Pasta Recipe: Spaghetti con le Cozze

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup pinot grigio
• 3 pounds mussels: cleaned and debearded
• (or, if you’re not a fan of mussels, you can use 3 pounds of raw shrimp: cleaned and peeled)
• 2 Roma tomatoes, slice in long strips
• 1 pound of Vera Pasta Spaghetti
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and ground black pepper for flavor
• 1 pinch of hot red pepper flakes for a mild heat, add to your taste

Directions:

1. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, and add 2 tablespoons of salt.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add garlic and cook until golden brown, about a minute.
4. Add tomato strips and hot pepper flakes; sauté for 2 minutes
5. Deglaze by adding the pinot grigio: raise the heat, and bring to a boil, then add the mussels (or shrimp).
6. Cook, while stirring and tossing, until all of the mussels have opened (about 4 minutes) and remove from heat. Be sure to discard all mussels that did not open up after the 4 minute cooking process.
7. Add Vera Pasta Spaghetti into the boiling water and cook until al dente.
8. About 1 minute before you think the pasta is done, put the sauce back onto the heat.
9. When the pasta is done and the sauce is heated, combine and toss for approximately 1 minute or until the sauce clings to the pasta. Add parsley and serve immediately. Serves 4.