Pasta with Potatoes and Mussels

Method

1. Open the mussels: in a pot, heat olive oil with a whole garlic clove (skin on), add mussels, cover and cook until they open (2-3 minutes).
2. Remove mussels from pot, separate meat from shells; reserve some whole shells for decoration if desired. Filter the mussel cooking water and set aside.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 cm thick slices, then into strips, then into small cubes. Place the cubes in a bowl of cold water to prevent oxidation.
4. Finely chop the rosemary (fresh or dry).
5. In a high-sided pot, heat olive oil and add a whole garlic clove (skin on) and the chopped rosemary. Add chili pepper if desired. Cook to create an aromatic soffritto.
6. Drain the potato cubes and add them to the soffritto. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes soften slightly; some may stick to the pan (this is good, releasing starch).
7. Add the filtered mussel water to the pot. The aroma changes; the rosemary becomes less dominant.
8. After a couple of minutes, add additional water: cold water if you want the potatoes to hold their shape and a more brothy result, or hot water if you want a creamier texture.
9. When it comes to a boil, taste for salt (the mussel water already has some salt) and add salt if needed.
10. Add the short pasta (200g bronze-drawn recommended) and stir occasionally to encourage cream formation.
11. Cook the pasta to 3/4 of the time indicated on the package (e.g., for 10 minutes, cook for 7 minutes). Then add the mussel meat.
12. Turn off the heat. Let the pasta finish cooking in the residual heat. If the dish is too liquid, leave uncovered; if you want it more liquid, cover.
13. Add a generous sprinkle of fresh parsley, a grind of black pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve.