Lately, seafood has been on my mind. Let me tell you when I start pondering what seafood dish to make, my brain starts moving one hundred miles per hour. Of course, this time, it landed on shrimp and mussel pasta. It was so good, so I thought I would share the recipe with you. There is something so magical about a big bowl of pasta and seafood, and of course, let’s not forget we need something to wash it down.
Just thinking about all the elements, — beautiful pasta, fresh seafood, and garlicky, spicy tomato white wine sauce, and fresh herbs — makes my mouth water.
One of the best things about this dish is how simple it is to throw together. It takes virtually no time at all, and no sides are needed. However, you could always toss together a fresh salad and/or some crusty bread. I mean, really, who doesn’t love a nice big chunk of crusty bread to sop up all of the delicious sauce.
Of course, you can’t have a fantastic mussel and shrimp pasta dish without an excellent wine to pair.
Food And Wine Pairing Rules
Often times, I am asked how I know what wine to pair with my recipes or even with my meals when dining out?
Well, let’s just take a moment to chat about food and wine pairing.
Pairing food with wine does not have to be overwhelming. Oh… by the way, it’s said, one should match the dish to the wine, not the other way around. Just a little quick tip I learned many moons ago, that honestly I never take seriously. Just thought I would throw that out there for you.
The short answer is to take into consideration the origin of the food, and the flavors and taste. A good rule of thumb is that white wines pair well with lighter dishes. Red wines stand up to heavier meatier flavors. Rose wines work with earthier and creamier cuisines. If you want to learn more about food and wine pairing, Winefolly has some great tips.
More importantly, there are no hard and fast rules to pairing. Grab a bottle of wine, pour a glass, and use the flavors to guide you. If you are dining out, your server or sommelier should be able to provide you with some good suggestions.
I chose a Papagiannakos Assyrtiko 2018 wine to pair with my shrimp and mussel pasta. Domaine Papagiannakos is a winery in Greece that was established in 1919. This Assyrtiko wine is produced from 100% Assyritkio grapes. Many pasta dishes in Greece contain many of the same ingredients as in my recipe — olives, tomatoes, and seafood. Therefore, I naturally picked a wine from that region that I just happened to have on-hand. But, other great options include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Merlot.
My Tasting Notes
Domaine Papagiannakos Assyrtiko
White wine. Light golden hue in the glass. Notes of bright citrus flavors, (mostly grapefruit and lemon zest) pear, and faint flavors of herbs. Noticeable tastes of saline and gravelly minerality. Dry with zippy acid that leaves your mouth salivating through the finish. This wine is fresh and clean on the palate.
Please keep in mind wine is subjective, and each palate has its own preference. I encourage you to explore and sip your way to what is pleasurable to your palate.
Here’s My Recipe for Shrimp And Mussel Pasta
Shrimp And Mussel Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds mussels scrubbed and beards removed
- 8-10 jumbo shrimp shelled leaving tail on and deveined
- 10 Mediterranean olives
- 1/2 pound spaghetti pasta cooked according to directions on package
- 4 large garlic cloves finely minced
- 14.5 oz petite diced tomatos with juice and crushed
- 1/8 red onion diced
- 1/2 lemon 1/2 halved for garnish 1/2 for juice
- 2 anchovies rinsed and minced
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock seafood stock is acceptable
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dry Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
- parsley for garnish
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Cook pasta, just to al dente. Drain, and toss with 1 tablespoon of butter. Set aside.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add shrimp shells, stirring continuously, cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add wine to pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Strain the liquid from the pan through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the shells.
- Increase heat to medium high and, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Quickly add onion and garlic to pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until onions are just softened.
- Add anchovies and tomato paste and stir until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, saffron threads, Italian seasoning, Old Bay, reserved liquid, and stock to the pan and cook to reduce by 1/2. About 25 minutes.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Do not over salt since olives are being added.
- Add olives, shrimp, and muscles, and cook until all shells are open. Discard any unopened shells.
- Add pasta to pan and gently toss the mixture to warm.
- Serve drizzled atop with olive oil.
- Garnish with parsley and lemon.
Ingredient Favorites
See more Seafood recipes.
