Homemade pasta has a texture and flavor that supermarket pasta can’t match. With a little practice, making linguine at home becomes straightforward and rewarding. This recipe combines fresh egg linguine with a bright basil pesto and a rich mussel and tomato sauce for an elegant weeknight supper or a weekend dinner for guests. Read through the steps before you start so each stage flows smoothly.
Ingredients
- For the linguine
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- 300g/11oz type ’00’ flour, plus extra for dusting
- 3 free-range eggs
- For the pesto
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- 60g/2½oz fresh basil leaves, plus extra to serve
- 50g/2oz pine nuts, toasted
- 50g/2oz parmesan, freshly grated
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 75ml/3fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- For the mussel and tomato sauce
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- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- 2kg/4lb 4oz mussels, cleaned, beards removed (discard any mussels that remain open after rinsing)
- 150ml/5fl oz white wine
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
- 800g/1lb 12oz canned tomatoes
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation method
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For the linguine, place the flour in a bowl or into a food processor. Add the eggs and blend or mix until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2–3 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If the dough feels too dry, sprinkle a little water; if too sticky, dust with more flour. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to relax the gluten — this makes rolling easier.
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For the pesto, combine the basil, toasted pine nuts, parmesan and garlic in a food processor and blitz to a fine purée. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture becomes a coarse, glossy paste. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little salt if needed. Pesto can be made ahead and kept covered in the fridge for a day or two; a thin film of oil on top helps prevent discoloration.
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For the mussel and tomato sauce, heat 2½ tablespoons of olive oil in a large lidded frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and celery and sauté for 1–2 minutes, until just softened but not colored.
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Add the cleaned mussels and the white wine to the pan and cover with a lid. Steam for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels open. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened after cooking.
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Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl and reserve. Set the cooked mussels aside while you build the sauce.
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Remove the mussel flesh from half of the shells and leave the rest in their shells for presentation; keep both sets of mussels aside.
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Return the empty pan to the heat and add the remaining 2½ tablespoons of olive oil. Fry the chopped garlic for about 30 seconds until it just turns pale golden — take care not to burn it as burned garlic tastes bitter.
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Pour in the reserved mussel cooking liquid, add the canned tomatoes and the basil leaves, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by about a third and intensifies in flavor. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stir in the mussel meat you set aside.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Take the prepared linguine from the fridge, gently loosen the strands with your fingers to separate them, and drop into the boiling water. Fresh pasta cooks quickly — about 2–3 minutes — until just tender. Drain promptly, reserving a little of the pasta water if you want to loosen the sauce.
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Combine the drained linguine with the mussel and tomato sauce in the pan, tossing gently to coat the pasta. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to reach the desired consistency.
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To serve, divide the mussel and tomato linguine among four warm plates. Top each portion with a spoonful of fresh pesto and a few basil leaves for garnish. Arrange some mussels in their shells over the top for an attractive presentation.
Required techniques
- How to knead dough
- Rolling pasta using a pasta machine
- Dicing an onion
- Knife skills: finely chopping
- Cleaning and de-bearding mussels