Paccheri with eggplants, mussels and buffalo mozzarella

Name: Paccheri with eggplants, mussels and buffalo mozzarella
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Paccheri pasta 14.1 oz; Eggplant 1 lb; Mussels 2.2 lbs; Cherry tomatoes 2 ½ cups; Fine salt to taste; Extra virgin olive oil 4 spoonfuls; Fresh scallion 1; Garlic 2 cloves; Parsley chopped 0.7 oz; Mozzarella di bufala cheese 7 oz; White wine 3.4 oz

it fr es de br

720

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 720
Carbohydrates g 92.6
of which sugars g 10
Protein g 31.6
Fats g 23.1
of which saturated fat g 4.15
Fiber g 7.2
Cholesterol mg 128
Sodium mg 674

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serving: 4
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Paccheri con melanzane, cozze e mozzarella di bufala is like capturing summer in Campania on a plate. Imagine paccheri con melanzane—so so delicious—filled with tender eggplant, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a golden hint of garlic. Really good stuff. And look, all of it soaks up the flavors of the sea. What makes this pasta really stand out is its amazing blend of seafood and cheese.

Paccheri con cozze adds fresh mussels to the sauce, with a splash of white wine—gives it that tangy vibe. And the cheese? Really, it’s authentic and creamy. Paccheri con mozzarella di bufala offers the moist mozzarella that Campania is just famous for. Seriously good. The outcome is a colorful and really really delicious first course featuring the classic ingredients loved along the southern Italian coast.

You know, using pasta di Gragnano is common here—perfect for catching the rich sauce and all those tasty bits. So here's the thing, in Campania, summer pasta dishes are a big deal. And this one? For sure, it’s a favorite. Recipes like paccheri con melanzane e mozzarella focus on the freshest stuff—eggplants from the market, sweet cherry tomatoes, and mussels—probably just arrived from the morning catch. You see these dishes often at family gatherings and charming seaside trattorias, where simplicity really meets big flavor.

Even though it's a traditional dish, there's always room for personal touches: a bit more wine for an extra tangy kick or sprinkle fresh herbs. The mozzarella di bufala melts beautifully—makes every bite creamy and a little crispy on the edges if you let it sit. For real, for anyone wanting a true taste of cucina campana, ricetta paccheri con melanzane or pasta con melanzane e cozze is the way to go. Fresh, easy, and a total crowd-pleaser for any summer meal. Enjoy this experience—brings the best of the Campania region right to your table.

How to prepare Paccheri with eggplants, mussels and buffalo mozzarella

To prepare paccheri with eggplants, mussels and buffalo mozzarella, start by cleaning the mussels well. Remove the beard that protrudes 1, scrape the shell, and wash them well under running water to remove all impurities 2 (for more details on cleaning mussels How to Clean and Open Mussels). Once cleaned, place the mussels in a pan with two tablespoons of oil and two garlic cloves and let them open 3.

When you see they start to open, deglaze with white wine 4 and add half of the total chopped parsley 5. Once all the mussels have opened, strain them well, taking care to collect the cooking water in a bowl, which will be used at the end to flavor the pasta 6.

At this point, shell half of the mussels and keep the other half whole for the final decoration of the dish 7. Clean the eggplants by removing the ends, cut them into cubes 8 and place them in layers in a colander or sieve, sprinkling them with coarse salt. Cover them with a weight so that the pressure helps to lose the water and bitterness and let them rest like this for at least one hour 9.

Meanwhile, cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters 10 and remove the seeds 11. Chop the scallion and let it wither with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil 12,

then add the eggplants 13, cherry tomatoes 14, season to taste the vegetables and let them cook for 10 minutes. When cooked, add the mussels 15,

then boil a pot of salted water and cook the paccheri 16. Drain them al dente and add them to the sauce 17, then add the mussel cooking water you previously set aside 18.

Cut a buffalo mozzarella into pieces 19 and add it to the pasta 20, then add the remaining mussels with shells and plenty of parsley 21. Mix all the ingredients well and you are ready to serve your paccheri with eggplants, mussels and buffalo mozzarella at the table.