Rosemary Pasta with Mussels on a Bed of Pureed Beans
Springtime in Campania usually means waking up to fresh, crisp air, warm sunshine, and the sweet song of birds chirping joyfully in the trees. It’s a magical time of year, when the beauty of nature inspires a sense of awe in me as the lands awaken after the dreary winter months, and the beautiful colors and fresh, lively green scents adorn the Italian countryside.
This spring, however, with all of the gloomy weather; cloudy skies, heavy rain, and unfathomably cold temperatures, I have found myself feeling nostalgic with every passing day, yearning for the inspiring times of the past – those bright, beautiful spring days.
So when I woke up this past Saturday morning, peeked out the window and saw the same gloomy weather, I must admit, romancing thoughts of lounging in bed all day bundled up in my blankets first came to mind.
But then again, I thought, sometimes the gloomy weather requires a “mood-booster” to lift your spirits and prevent those dreadful, rainy day blues. And for me, that usually includes bundling up and venturing out with my family to a cozy restaurant with wooden warmth and friendly ambiance for a wholesome, soul-warming meal.
One of my favorite places to dine, rain or shine, is the charming Osteria Torre Ferano, which lies deep within the hills of Arola, in Vico Equense, about a 30 minute drive from the center of Sorrento. Entering the threshold of the restaurant swiftly evokes a feeling of home, or when you sit in front of a fire place and enjoy its warmth.
The proprietor/chef Camillo Sorrentino, who opened the restaurant nearly 20 years ago, prides himself on a menu full of delicious Neapolitan classics with-a-fresh-twist, including many locally loved comfort food favorites, all made with the finest seasonal ingredients and locally-made artisanal food products.
Here, for instance, is the recipe for the delicious plate of Rosemary Pasta with Mussels on a Bed of Pureed Beans that quickly cleared my mind of any dark thoughts of gloomy weather that particularly cold, wet spring day.
The homemade rosemary pasta, called Strascinati locally, is made with finely-milled duram wheat flour, hot water, salt, white pepper, and fresh rosemary, which grows rampantly in the fertile, green fields of the Sorrento Peninsula, and is, naturally, an essential aromatic herb in the Campanian kitchen.
For the puree, Chef Camillo uses the nutty, creamy Fagiolo Butirro, a typical variety of beans locally grown in Montechiaro in Vico Equense – as he is not only passionate about seeking out the finest seasonal ingredients, but supporting the local community and small-scale, family-run farms at the same time. Since the small production, these beans are primarily gobbled up by the local folk. But when they are no longer available, he doesn’t hesitate to use the easy to locate Italian favorite borlotti beans, which render delicious results as well.
To give the mussel sauce a subtle, earthy twist, that compliments the fresh rosemary pasta and pureed beans, he drops a fresh rosemary sprig into the pot as it simmers away. Adding that when you use the freshest, just fished up from the sea mussels you can find at your local fishmonger, there’s not much more you need for delicious results….
But a couple of chopped juicy, bright red tomatoes, naturally:) 
Beat the Rainy Day Blues at Osteria Torre Ferano
Warm, Cozy Ambiance, Thoughtful Cooking, Good Local Food & Folk
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Rosemary Pasta with Mussels on a Bed of Pureed Beans
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For more info → Osteria Torre Ferano
Address: Via Raffaele Bosco, 810, 80066 Vico Equense (NA)
Telefone: 081 802 4786
Open Daily for Lunch and Dinner from 12 Noon – 3PM, 6 -11:30PM
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Buon Appetito a Tutti (Enjoy your Meal, Everyone) !
Ingredients
FOR THE PUREE
- 1 1/2 cups dried borlotti beans soaked in water overnight and drained
FOR THE PASTA
- 3 cups finely-milled duram wheat flour
- 2 small fresh rosemary sprigs about 4-to 5- inches long, minced, reserving some for finishing
- fine salt and freshly ground white pepper a pinch
- 3/4 to 1 cup boiling water or more if necessary
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh mussels scrubbed and debearded
- 1 small fresh rosemary sprig about 3-inches long
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 6 ripe cherry tomatoes cut into thin slivers, about 1/4-inch wide
Instructions
FOR THE PUREE
- In a medium stockpot, add the beans and cover with water by about 2-inches above the surface of the beans. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and gently simmer until the beans are just tender. This should take about 45 minutes or so.
- When the beans are done, drain them in a colander, reserving about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid. Using a hand blender or food processor, purée the beans until smooth and creamy with just enough of the cooking liquid to thin the puree to the desired consistency, usually about 1 cup.
FOR THE PASTA
- Put the flour, minced rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl and add about one-half of the boiling water. Using your hands, begin to incorporate the ingredients, adding more water, a little at a time, just until the ingredients come together to form a solid dough. Knead the dough until soft and smooth, for about 10 minutes. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Working on a lightly floured work surface, cut off a small piece of dough and roll it out with your hands into a long cylinder about 1/3-inch in diameter. Using a sharp knife, cut the cylinders into 1 1/3-inch pieces. Using your index and middle finger press on the “pillow” curling it towards you, letting the dough wrap over your finger and create a gap in the center. Or, you can place a knife on one end of the "pillow" and slide it toward you to do the same. Transfer the pieces to a large tray lined with a lightly floured tea towel as you work.
FOR THE SAUCE
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mussels, sprig of rosemary, 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.
- Drop the pasta into the boiling water (do not salt the water). Cook until the pasta is soft, but with a chewy bite, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over medium heat, combine the olive oil and garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the mussels and their reserved juices and cook for 1 minute more. Using a spider strainer, transfer the pasta directly into the sauce and toss to combine. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce, tossing occasionally.
- Spoon the bean puree onto the center of each plate, creating a little bed. Portion the pasta and mussels over the top. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary leaves. Serve hot.