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Experience a Taste of the Sea: Spaghetti with Mussels and Prawns

I’ve been so wary of doing an ethnic recipe! And while I absolutely adore the simplicity and cleanliness of Italian cuisine, I’ve always felt kind of scared about posting an Italian recipe.

But I recently binged on Stanley Tucci’s show and fell in love all over again with Italian cuisine and it’s characteristic simplicity and elegance. And you know what? We’re doing this!

Now, getting my kids to consider, taste and enjoy a pasta dish with no cheese? I was terrified! But it turned out way easier than I expected once they got a whiff of the beautiful aromas from the kitchen.

This dish is simple elegance at its finest! The freshness of the ingredients and how they all come together, makes it a quick but refreshing lunch or dinner option for hosting friends, hanging out with family, or when you want to switch things up with some fanciness.

The main attractions in this recipe, for me, is the seafood. With seafood, freshness and flavour are my main considerations but here is how I approach selecting the right seafoods and methods for my seafood-based pasta dishes:

Selecting the right Mussels and Prawns:

Mussels can be finicky and we don’t all always have the opportunrty to buy them fresh, so with frozen mussels, you’re mostly at the mercy of what’s in the packet. However, you can develop a skill to identify the right mussels from the selection you have. You want to make sure the mussel shells are unbroken and only choose mussels with tightly closed shells and prawns that have a firm, translucent flesh.
For your fresh prawns, look for bright eyes among a fresh batch - seriously! They should have a translucent appearance and a slightly pink hue. Avoid any that appear dull or discolored, or with broken shells.
For frozen prawns, while they may not have a strong smell, they should not have any off-putting or unpleasant odors. If they have a fishy or ammonia-like smell, it could be a sign of deterioration. Look for a consistent size and shape among the frozen prawns. This indicates that they were frozen quickly and uniformly.
For all frozen seafood, check and follow religiously, the thawing instructions on the packaging. This way you can maintain the quality of the seafood as intended.

Flavor & Texture matching

Mussels have a slightly sweet and briny flavor, while prawns offer a sweet and delicate taste. Mussels also have a tender texture, and prawns are firm. These textures work well with the soft, slurp-worthy nature of spaghetti or the broader ribbons of tagliatelle.

Choosing the right Pasta

Spaghetti or tagliatelle provides a perfect base for mussels and prawns. The broad surface of tagliatelle allows the seafood and sauce to coat each strand. But if you’re cooking for a small group, or only for yourself, the thinner spaghetti works well with smaller quantities.

Spaghetti with Mussels & Prawns

Yield 6

Author Mae

Prep time

40 Min

Cook time

20 Min

Total time

1 Hour

Indulge in a delicious combination of spaghetti with mussels and prawns. Our fresh ingredients and flavorful sauce will transport you to the seaside. Try this signature dish today!

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Ingredients

1 pound spaghetti or linguine
1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium sized shallot or white onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red chilli flakes or crushed red pepper
2 lbs fresh mussels (soak in salted water from frozen to room temperature)
1 lb fresh prawns, shelled and deveined with tail on
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente (or a little less than tine stated in package instructions - it will cook more later)
In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the shallots, garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, careful not to let the garlic brown.
Add the prawns, mussels and wine, cover the pan and lower the heat to low-medium. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the prawns are pink and mussel shells open up. Discard any mussels that don't open up.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then add the cooked pasta. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Add parsley to garnish
Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!