Best Sicilian Mussels Marinara Recipes

MUSSELS MARINARA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until cooked. Add the wine and reduce it by half, then add the plum tomatoes, oregano and parsley. Add the mussels to the pan and allow to cook for about 10 minutes until all the mussels are open. Transfer mussels to a platter. (Discard any mussels that do not open.)
• You can mound some pasta in the center of the plate surrounded by the mussels or have some bruschetta handy for dipping into the sauce.
• Adjust the seasoning for the sauce with salt and pepper, as necessary. Coat the mussels with the sauce and sprinkle with fresh chopped basil just before serving.

CLASSIC MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.
• In a large skillet (do not use a deep pot) over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.
• As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add whole chile or red pepper flakes, oregano (if using) and salt. Stir.
• Place basil sprig, including stem, on the surface (like a flower). Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on surface is a deep orange, about 15 minutes. (If using oregano, taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more salt and oregano as needed.) Discard basil and chile (if using).

MUSSELS MARINARA

Steps:

• 1. In a stockpot, simmer the wine with the garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, & parsley, then add the marjoram & oregano. Stir once to blend all the ingredients.
• 2. Add the mussels to the pot along with the onion & tomatoes. Cover & let simmer until the mussels open, about 8 minutes. Discard any that do not open.
• 3. Season the broth with the salt & pepper, then add the cornstarch & whisk until slightly thickened. Plate the warm pasta & serve the mussels & sauce on top.

LIDIA'S BASIC MARINARA

Steps:

• Place tomatoes and their juices in a large bowl. Using your hands, crush tomatoes, breaking them up into small pieces; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic slices and cook until sizzling, about 1 1/2 minutes. Push garlic to one side of skillet and add red-pepper flakes; toast for 30 seconds. Stir garlic slices and continue to cook until lightly golden.
• Add tomatoes to skillet and stir to combine. Add hot water to rinse bowl containing tomatoes and add to skillet. Increase heat and stir in salt. Add basil sprigs to sauce, pressing down to completely cover.
• Bring to a boil. Cover, and immediately reduce heat to a simmer; cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking 5 minutes more. Remove basil from sauce and discard. Let sauce simmer until ready to serve with pasta.

CALAMARI MARINARA

Steps:

• Drizzle olive oil into saucepan (not over heat). Add onions, Serrano pepper, garlic, anchovy filet, red pepper flakes, and salt. Place pot over medium-high heat. When onions start to sizzle after a minute or so, stir and cook until onions and garlic just start to turn golden, 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in wine.
• Cook until wine is reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Add clam juice, tomatoes, and oregano. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. When sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
• Transfer calamari to sauce pot; stir gently. Simmer until calamari are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Stir some sauce into the hot, drained pasta. Serve in warm bowls topped with more marinara sauce and grated cheese.

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• In large pan over medium heat saute chopped garlic and onion in olive oil until translucent.
• Add cans of tomato.
• Sprinkle on black pepper.
• Add bay leaves.
• Let sauce simmer for about 30 minutes to reduce and intensify flavors stirring occassionally.
• Add basil and parsley and stir well.
• Allow sauce to simmer at least another two hours (can simmer all day if desired)stirring occassionally.
• After two hours taste sauce, if acidic or if you want more sweetness add 1/2 tsp baking powder (or sugar) to cut acidity. Only do this if necessary.
• Pull out both bay leaves before serving/storing.
• Sauce can be served over pasta now or stored in freezer or refridgerator. If adding in meat add at the begining when adding tomatos.

PASTA WITH MUSSELS IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Pulse tomatoes with juices in food processor just a few times to break down into a coarse purée; set aside. Bring large pot of water to boil for pasta.
• Meanwhile, in a wide skillet or saucepan with lid, combine crushed garlic clove and shallot with white wine. Bring to a boil and add mussels. Cover and cook, shaking pan from time to time, 2 to 4 minutes, or until mussels open up. Check mussels after 2 minutes; transfer open mussels to a bowl using tongs. Cover pan again, wait another minute, and repeat until all mussels have opened.
• Leave mussels to cool in bowl until easily removed from shells. Remove half from shells and leave other half intact. Taste a mussel; if it is sandy, give them all a very quick rinse and drain in a colander. Transfer to a bowl and keep covered while you make tomato sauce.
• Place a strainer over another bowl, line with cheesecloth and strain the liquid in the pan into bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup. Rinse and dry pan.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in pan and add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add tomatoes, thyme or marjoram (or both), and sugar.
• Turn heat up to medium-high and cook, stirring often, 5 to 10 minutes, until tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add 1/2 cup broth from mussels, stir together and bring to a simmer. Taste and add salt as needed (you may not need to add any). Tip all mussels, shelled and unshelled, into sauce, cover and turn heat to very low or remove from heat if not serving right away. Keep warm while you cook pasta.
• Warm a large bowl for the pasta. When water for pasta comes to a rolling boil, salt generously and add pasta. Cook al dente, following the directions on the package. Drain and toss in the warm bowl with tomato sauce, mussels and parsley. Serve right away.

MUSSELS MARINARA DI AMORE

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute garlic until transparent.
• Add tomatoes, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes to skillet; reduce heat to low to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.
• Add wine and mussels to skillet; cover and increase heat to high for 3 to 5 minutes or until mussel shells are open.
• Pour over hot pasta, sprinkle with parsley and squeeze lemon wedge over all. Garnish with remaining lemon and serve.