Mussels and pici

Pici is the simplest pasta you could ever make. It doesn’t need a pasta machine or any special ingredients – just a bit of flour, semolina and water. It has a lovely chewy texture, and in this recipe the pici cooks in wine and the juices released from the mussels, so it’s full of flavour.

• serves

  2

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 French shallots, finely chopped
• 250 ml (1 cup) white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
• 1 tomato, seeds removed, cut into 5 mm pieces
• 1 pinch saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp warm water
• 1 kg mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
• ¼ cup finely shredded flat-leaf parsley
• lemon wedges, to serve

Pici dough

• 75 g (½ cup) strong bread flour
• 85 g (½ cup) semolina flour, plus extra for dusting
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) lukewarm water

Resting time 20 minutes

Instructions

To make the pici dough, combine the flours and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and gradually add the water, mixing with a fork until it just comes together. Turn it out onto a lightly floured board and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest for 20 minutes.

Moisten the palms of your hands with a little water and, working quickly, roll the pici dough into one long noodle about 5 mm-thick. Lightly dust a board or tray with semolina flour and curl the noodle into a spiral. Set aside until needed.

Heat the oil in a mussel pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until slightly softened. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato and saffron and stir to combine.

Add the pici, and cook for 2 minutes, then season with a pinch of salt. Add the mussels and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the shells have opened. Scatter with the parsley and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Serve the mussels with lemon wedges.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.