Spaghetti with mussels and cherry tomatoes

To prepare spaghetti with mussels and cherry tomatoes, start by cleaning the mussels. Then rinse them and, still under running water, remove the barnacles and all the impurities present with a knife 1, then remove the byssus, i.e. the beard you find on the side of each mussel, simply by tearing it with your fingers ( 2). Throw away any open or broken mussels. Clean the surface of the mussels with a scourer 3.

Then rinse them well 4 and drain them. In a large saucepan, pour the oil, a clove of garlic, the chilli pepper and a sprig of parsley 5. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the mussels 6.

Pour in the white wine 7 and cover with a lid 8. Cook in this way for 3-4 minutes, so as to allow the mussels to open completely 9. During cooking, shake the pan from time to time to stir the inside.

When all the mussels are open, transfer them to a bowl 10 and eliminate the smells. Put a pot full of salted water on the fire, which will be used to cook the pasta. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half 11. If they are very large, cut them into 4. In the same pan where you just cooked the mussels, pour a drizzle of oil, a clove of garlic 12 and cook for a minute.

Pour in the cherry tomatoes 13, season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid 14 and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. In the meantime, shell the mussels 15 and filter the cooking liquid.

After 5 minutes, remove the lid 16 and pour the mussel water into the cherry tomatoes 17. As soon as the pasta water has boiled, cook the spaghetti 18.

Drain them al dente and transfer them to the pan with the sauce 19. Mix well to finish cooking 20 and add the shelled mussels 21.

Season with salt and pepper 22. Add some chopped parsley 23, mix again and serve your spaghetti with mussels and cherry tomatoes 24!