Light Summer Mussels Carbonara

WHO: Emanuele Bugiani

INSTAGRAM: @FiaschetteriaPistoia

EMANUELE’S GUEST-WORTHY RECIPE: Light Summer Mussels Carbonara

WHY?

“This recipe is much lighter than regular Carbonara, not having pork and its grease in it. It’s great for the creaminess, tasty for the saltiness of mussels and Pecorino Romano. It’s rich in minerals and protein from a different field of alimentation. It’s also very easy to eat because of the mussels out of the shells.”

INGREDIENTS

20 pc Mediterranean mussels

1/2 lb egg fettuccine

1 clove finely chopped garlic

1 pinch crushed red pepper

1 pinch of salt

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp grated Pecorino Romano

4 egg yolks

1/4 C dry white wine

Thinly chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

Wash mussels and set aside.

On medium heat, cook garlic with red crushed pepper and salt. When garlic turns golden, add mussels on high heat.

Stir for one minute, then add the white wine. (We suggest Pinot Grigio). Cover and let simmer for about three minutes. Then keep cooking, uncovered, for another minute.

Set aside to allow mussels to cool slightly. Remove mussels from shells, keeping two for decoration.

In salted boiling water, cook pasta two minutes less than the suggested time (in order to finish it in sauce). Right before straining pasta, place cleaned mussels in original sauce over high heat.

Add pasta with some of its cooking water. After stirring for a couple of minutes, remove pan from heat, add egg yolks, pecorino, and parsley and stir rapidly for the mixture to become creamy.

Serve with the whole mussels on top and a pinch of fresh black pepper.