Ingredients

• Sixteen ounces of frozen cooked mussel meat

• Sixteen ounces of linguine pasta

• Four tablespoons of tomato paste

• One and a quarter cups of dry white wine

• Three garlic cloves

• One bunch of finely chopped fresh parsley

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

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Instructions

1. Cook the mussels: Thaw out the mussel meat and rinse it well. Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 garlic clove and sauté until fragrant. Add a small handful of parsley, then the mussel meat. Pour in the white wine, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes – no more. This becomes your mussel broth.

2. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sea salt (about 1 Tbsp), then cook the linguine until just shy of al dente—about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve a little pasta water if needed.

3. Build the sauce: In a pan, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Lightly crush the remaining garlic clove and sauté until lightly golden (20–30 seconds). Add a pinch of parsley, then stir in the tomato paste. Add a splash of the mussel broth and stir until smooth. Add the remaining broth and season lightly with salt and pepper.

4. Finish the dish: Transfer the pasta directly into the sauce using tongs. Toss for about 30 seconds to absorb flavor. Add the mussel broth and chopped parsley. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and continue tossing for 1–2 minutes until the pasta is glossy and well coated.

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Notes

• Salt carefully: the mussel broth is naturally salty. Taste before adding any extra salt.

• Tomato paste balance: this is a light red sauce, not heavy—avoid over-concentrating it by adding too much tomato paste

• Texture target: the final mixture should be silky, not watery, or thick.