Linguine with mussels, pancetta and basil

This simple linguine recipe will be on the table for dinner in only 15 minutes! Mussels are served with a simple cherry tomato and white wine sauce, elevated by onion, garlic and crispy pancetta.

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

Plenty of Shellfish in the Sea

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 1 kg mussels
• ½ cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 150 g pancetta, cut into lardons
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 bird's eye chillies, thinly sliced
• ½ cup (125 ml) white wine
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and black pepper
• 500 g dried linguine
• a handful of basil leaves

Instructions

1. Place a large frying pan over high heat and add about 2 cups (500 ml) of water. Add the mussels and cook for about 3 minutes, removing the individual mussels as soon as they open. Remove about two-thirds of the mussels from their shells but reserve a few for garnish. Strain the liquid and set both the mussels and liquid aside. Wipe out the pan to remove any grit released by the mussels.
2. Return the pan to medium heat and add the olive oil and pancetta. Fry until the pancetta is crisp, then remove the pancetta and add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant but not browned, then add the chilli and fry for 1 minute, then add the wine and cook for further 2 minutes until the wine stops smelling like wine. Add the cherry tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Add about ½ cup of the mussel liquid for extra flavour, if you like.
3. Cook the linguine in plenty of salted water according to the packet directions and test for doneness from 2 minutes before the specified time. When al dente, toss the linguine, mussels, pancetta and basil (reserve a few leaves for garnish!) through the sauce along with ¼ - ½ cup of the pasta water and a little extra olive oil to create a sauce that coats the pasta.
4. Serve the linguine with the mussels still in the shell and sprinkle with a few extra basil leaves.

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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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.

Stream free On Demand

Plenty of Shellfish in the Sea

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G