Ingredients
- 1 pound mussels, thawed*
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup minced onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 1 14 oz can of whole peeled plum tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 pound bucatini
- 1/2 cup vodka
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes
- Torn fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Prep:
- To thaw mussels, place them in a colander. Reserve the juice.
Cook:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. When cooked, drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
- Place a sauce pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the butter. When it foams add the onions, garlic and a good pinch of salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the onions are soft.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream and reserved mussel juice and bring it to a simmer.
- Add the sauce to a blender and process until smooth (be careful when blending hot ingredients).
- Pour the blended contents back into the pan and add the vodka and mussels. Bring the sauce to a simmer and adjust the seasoning and consistency with salt, pepper and reserved pasta water.
- Toss pasta and sauce together and divide among four heated bowls. Each serving should yield about six mussels.
Serve:
- Garnish with pepper flakes and torn basil leaves.
