Mussels over Linguine, Portuguese Style
Instructions:
Be sure to serve this with plenty of crusty bread.
Salt
1/2 to 1 pound linguiça, Spanish chorizo, or kielbasa
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 or 5 plum tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
(canned are fine; include the juices)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves, plus
more for garnish
About 3 pounds mussels, cleaned
11/2 pounds linguine, spaghetti, or other long pasta
MAKES: 6 servings
TIME: 45 minutes
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Remove the skin from the sausage and chop into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces. Combine the olive oil and sausage in a large, deep pot over medium heat and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.
- When the sausage begins to brown, add the garlic.
- Cook for 1 or 2 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, then add the tomatoes and 1/4 cup basil. Cook for a minute or two, stirring, until the tomatoes soften, a few minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup water if you’re not using canned tomatoes, stir, add the mussels, cover, and raise the heat to high.
- Cook the pasta in the boiling water until tender but not mushy. Continue to cook the mussels, shaking the pot occasionally, until all of them are open, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, put it in a very large serving bowl, and pour the mussels and sauce over it. Garnish with basil and serve.