Paccheri with potato cream and mussels

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Paccheri with potato cream and mussels
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it de es fr br
  • Lactose Free
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Prep time: 40 min
  • Cook time: 25 min
  • Serving: 2
  • Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Sebastian Fitarau
Paccheri with potato cream and mussels

Paccheri with potato cream and mussels is a delicious creation from Campania, Italy—seriously good stuff—where land meets sea in a delightful way. You know, in Naples, combining seafood and potatoes has been the thing for ages. Tender mussels and smooth potato cream? Perfect harmony. Instead of the usual tomato sauce, they add saffron. It gives the dish a warm color and that slightly sweet aroma. Makes it feel really special, for sure. The large paccheri pasta tubes are just right for scooping up that rich sauce. It is one of those Italian pasta dishes that’s fancy yet cozy.

The potato cream soaking into the pasta? Makes every bite extra moist and rich—classic Neapolitan style, no question. In Campania, dishes like this show up at family dinners or holiday tables, sometimes with fun twists like prosciutto or scampi. Variations are many, but it's all about seafood pasta recipes highlighting fresh, local mussels and lush, potato cream sauce. The golden hue from saffron really sets it apart. And the mussels? Add a touch of the Mediterranean to your plate.

People love how the sauce clings to each piece of paccheri, ensuring a bit of everything in every bite. It's great for big gatherings—everyone digs in, enjoying the extra sauce with crusty bread. And listen, with its mix of sea flavors and tangy notes from the shellfish, it’s a dish that offers a taste of traditional Italian recipes while still feeling fresh and exciting. Whether you’re a fan of shellfish pasta or looking for something different from the usual red sauce, this dish really brings a piece of Southern Italy’s coastline right into your kitchen. Really, can't go wrong with that.

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INGREDIENTS
Paccheri pasta 5.6 oz (160 g)
Mussels 10.6 oz (300 g) - already cleaned
Potatoes 1
Saffron threads 0.1
Parsley to taste
Fine salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Garlic 1
Preparation

How to prepare Paccheri with potato cream and mussels

To prepare the paccheri with potatoes and mussels, first place the peeled garlic clove and parsley stems in a large pot. Add a drizzle of oil, heat, and add the mussels 2. Cover with a lid and cook over high heat 3.

When the mussels are completely open, turn off the heat 4. Strain them with a colander to separate the liquid from the fruits 5. Place the saffron in a small bowl, add a ladle of mussel cooking water 6, and mix. Set aside.

Shell most of the mussels 7 and collect them in another small bowl. Keep the cooking liquid that will be used later 8. Peel the potato 9.

Cut it into cubes about 0.4 inches in size 10. Transfer the potatoes to a hot pan with a drizzle of oil 11 and cook until tender and well browned 12. Then pour in the mussel liquid 12 and let it flavor for a couple of minutes. The potatoes should still be slightly brothy.

Meanwhile, chop the parsley leaves 13 and cook the paccheri in plenty of salted boiling water to taste 14. Transfer the potatoes to a tall container 15.

Blend with an immersion blender 16 and transfer the potato cream to the same pan. Add the al dente paccheri 18.

Also add the saffron liquid 19, the shelled mussels 20, and the chopped parsley 21.

Mix well 22. Transfer the pasta to the plates 23, decorate with the mussels in the shell 34, and serve hot!

Storage

We recommend serving the pasta immediately. Alternatively, it can be stored for a maximum of one day.

Advice

Besides mussels, you can also use clams if you prefer.

You can enhance this pasta with fresh chili pepper.

Did you like this pairing? Then you can't miss the recipe for Tiella barese (riso, patate e cozze), a specialty of Pugliese cuisine!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.
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