Pasta and Beans with Mussels (Pasta e Fagioli con le Cozze)

A traditional Neapolitan coastal variation of pasta and beans, combining creamy beans with the intense flavor of fresh mussels. Rustic and deeply Mediterranean, this dish perfectly blends land and sea

Portata One-Pot Meal

Cucina napoletana

Keyword pasta e fagioli con le cozze, pasta and beans with mussels, Neapolitan seafood pasta, Italian coastal cuisine, Mediterranean comfort food, Naples cuisine

Preparazione 20

Cottura 45

Ingredienti

800 g fresh shelling beans
200 g ditalini pasta
800 g mussels
200 g ripe cherry tomatoes
1 hot chili pepper
1 garlic clove
Fresh parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Istruzioni

Scrub and rinse the mussels thoroughly.
Place the mussels in a covered pot over high heat and cook until they open.
Remove the mussels from their shells and reserve them together with their cooking liquid.
Filter the mussel liquid carefully to remove any sand.
Shell the fresh beans.
Cook the beans in salted boiling water until still slightly firm.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.
Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté the garlic clove.
Add chopped parsley, cherry tomatoes cut into pieces, and the hot chili pepper.
Cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and the sauce thickens slightly.
Remove the garlic clove.
Add the drained hot beans and the filtered mussel liquid.
Cover and simmer over moderate heat for about 30 minutes.
Cook the ditalini pasta separately in salted boiling water until halfway cooked.
Drain the pasta and add it to the bean mixture together with the mussels.
Continue cooking until the pasta is fully cooked and has absorbed the flavors.
Serve hot with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and extra parsley if desired.

Note

The dish should remain creamy and slightly brothy, not dry.
Borlotti beans are traditionally preferred when fresh shelling beans are unavailable.
The mussel cooking liquid gives the dish its characteristic sea flavor, so filtering it carefully is essential.