Briny, bright, with a kick at the end that is the essence of this dish, which is one of our favorite pastas from the region. It would work well with dried spaghetti or bucatini, but the lightly cheesy hint to this pasta and its ability to soak up the sauce makes it well worth the extra effort. Be careful not to overcook the mussels or all your hard work will be for naught.
Serves: 4-6
On a clean surface, place flour in a circle. Make a well in the center and add egg, milk, 2 tablespoons oil, pecorino and basil. Gradually combine ingredients and knead until dough is smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Wrap dough in Saran and allow to rest 30 minutes. Cut dough into thirds. Using a pasta rolling machine, put 1/3 of the dough through the widest setting three times. Repeat process with two smaller settings.
Place rolled-out dough onto a cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Place strands on a sheet pan and cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel. Repeat process with remaining two-thirds of dough.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add pasta and cook until noodles float to the surface, about 1 minute. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons oil on medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, chili and a large pinch of salt and sauté an additional 2 minutes. Crush tomatoes with your hands and add to pan with wine, reserved pasta water and zest. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and add mussels. As soon as mussels open, add cooked pasta and parsley and mix well. Drizzle a bit of extra-virgin olive on top and serve immediately.
