Pasta with Mussels and Pecorino, Ischia Style
A long and passionate love story this just may be since I still, even after so many soul-touched visits, cannot get enough of the lavishly lush and delectable Mediterranean island of Ischia, which sits in the crystal clear, glistening waters of the Gulf of Naples. Regardless of where else I go, however faraway or near, it somehow travels with me, intriguing me, until the next time I find my way back hungry for more.
Thermal parks and gardens, hot springs and volcanic mud, secluded bays and beaches, stunning stretches of rugged coastline, and the magnificent Aragonese castle, are only some of the reasons this volcanic island makes my heart beat like a drum. The culture, traditions, and rich food heritage are certainly some of the noteworthy others.
While on the island one of our favorite pastimes is to visit the ancient fishing village of Ischia Ponte, the historic center, which is a lovely place that still today has maintained its old world charm and rich cultural traditions. The symbol of the island, the Aragonese castle, sits on a small islet connected to Ischia Ponte by a long bridge, providing not only a majestic backdrop to the village, but also a magical place to explore and admire the islands rich heritage.
We usually delve into the local culture of Ischia Ponte with a visit to the castle in the late afternoon or early evening to take in its magnificence and the fragrance of the fresh sea air. Afterwards, we like to roam through the narrow, cobblestone streets lined with colorful buildings, churches, seafaring treasures, restaurants and cafes, and local specialty shops of all sorts. As the sun begins to set and the streets evoke a romantic ancient ambiance, we then like to head to a nice place to dine on some of the islands specialty dishes and take in the beauty of it all.
One of our favorite places is the ever popular, family-owned and run Ristorante Da Ciccio, located on Via Luigi Mazzella, the main street in Ischia Ponte. Here, the Buono brothers, Carlo and Guido, uphold their family’s legacy each day and night when they invite diners in to enjoy a delicious meal of local specialties, good wine and hospitality, and spectacular views of the Aragonese castle.
Calamarata con Cozze e Pecorino (Pasta with Mussels and Pecorino), a beloved classic Ischitani pasta dish, is one of the many local specialty dishes Chef Guido Buono so brilliantly cooks up that continues to lure me back to the table time and time again.
It’s simply delicious; light and elegant, and so quick and easy to put together.
In Ischia, the pasta shape of choice for this preparation is either calamarata or paccheri, which are not easily located in most supermarkets in the United States. You can try to seek them out in a well-stocked supermarket, Italian specialty store, or even on-line. Or else, you can substitute any other large tubular pasta shape of your choice.
To give a burst of fresh, bright flavor and color to his version of this classic Ischitani pasta dish, Chef Guido sprinkles in some – Fresh Lemon Mint Leaves – A delicious touch!
Off the heat, a little pecorino cheese is stirred into the pan to create the slightly creamy, cheese tinged mussel sauce that makes this pasta dish taste so delightfully good.
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The simple steps
Happy Cooking and Enjoy your Meal Everyone!
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For more info → Ristorante Da Ciccio
Ischia tourism → click here
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Pasta with Mussels and Pecorino, Ischia Style
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh mussels scrubbed and debearded
- coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 pound calamarata, paccheri, or other large tubular pasta
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves chopped into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley or more to taste, finely chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1/2 cup pecorino cheese finely grated
- 4 or 5 fresh lemon mint leaves slivered and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the mussels and a small ladleful of water and cover the pan. Sauté until the shells open, about 2 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the mussels over a bowl to get rid of any sand and grit, reserving the juices. Discard the unopened shells. Remove the meat from the remaining shells and place in the bowl with the juices.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water and drop in the pasta. Cook until the pasta is just under al dente, tender but firm to the bite, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Drain the pasta in a colander, reserving about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and parsley and briefly sauté until the garlic just begins to soften. Stir in the reserved mussels and their juices and let reduce for about 2 minutes or so, depending upon the amount of liquids in the pan.
- Add the pasta to the pan and toss well to coat with the sauce, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the pecorino and mint. Toss and stir until the cheese has melted and the pasta is nicely coated with the sauce, adding a small ladleful of the pasta cooking water, if more liquids are needed in the pan.
- Divide the pasta among the plates and serve immediately.