Strozzapreti Cacio, Cozze e Pepe

Here is an Italian interpretation of the dish that blends the tradition of Italian dried pasta dishes with the flavor of the sea.

Ingredients

• 320g strozzapreti
• 200g mussels
• 100g cacio (pecorino romano or similar)
• Black pepper
• 1 clove of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Clean the mussels by removing the beard and scraping the outer surface. Rinse them under running water.
2. In a large pan, place a clove of garlic with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lightly sauté.
3. Add the mussels to the pan and cover with a lid. Cook until they all open, then remove any that have not opened.
4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the strozzapreti according to the package instructions until al dente.
5. Remove the mussels from their shells, keeping a few in the shell for the final presentation.
6. Toast the pepper in another pan for a few seconds, then add a ladle of pasta cooking water to create a light sauce.
7. Drain the strozzapreti, reserving some of the cooking water, and add them to the pan with the pepper.
8. Add the mussels and a handful of grated pecorino romano, then mix well to combine, adding a little pasta cooking water if needed to emulsify.
9. Serve the strozzapreti hot, finishing with more grated pecorino, freshly ground pepper, and, if desired, a little chopped fresh parsley.

Trivia

The name “strozzapreti” originates from various Italian folk legends and usually refers to a type of pasta typical of central Italy. Among the best-known anecdotes is the one that tells of housewives who, in their haste to feed the too-greedy priests, prepared this pasta so quickly that they risked “strangling” the unfortunate diners with their dough that wasn’t always easy to swallow. In the dish I have proposed, the cacio e pepe pairing recalls the classic Roman recipe, enriched with the sea flavor of mussels for a truly unique encounter of flavors.