Orecchiette / with Watercress purée, Bergamot and Mussels

Ingredients

Orecchiette

320g of orecchiette

Watercress purée

500g of watercress

olive oil / a proper quantity

salt / a proper quantity

Bergamot purée

1 bergamot, segmented

Mussels

40 mussels, approximately 1kg

30ml of olive oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

Garnish

chilli powder

parsley

extra virgin olive oil

salt flakes

How to Make

1.First, make the watercress purée. Wash the watercress well and blanch in salted boiling water

500g of watercress

salt

2.Blend until smooth and make an emulsion with a touch of olive oil. Season with salt to taste

olive oil

3.To make the bergamot purée, blanch the segments in boiling water for 3–4 minutes and then refresh in iced water. Blitz in a blender to make a smooth paste

1 bergamot, segmented

4.For the mussels, heat the olive oil and garlic in a large saucepan and as soon as they are hot, add the mussels and cover with a lid. As soon as they open, remove from the heat and remove the meat from the shells. Chop the meat and set aside

30ml of olive oil

40 mussels, approximately 1kg

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

5.Pass the liquid that was released from the mussels through a fine sieve and set aside

6.Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for approximately 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain when ready

7.Place the pasta in a large bowl and toss through the watercress purée, adding some of the reserved mussel water if needed. Sprinkle in a pinch of chilli powder

chilli powder

8.On the bottom of each plate, place a touch of bergamot purée then add the pasta. Add a handful of mussels and parsley and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and salt flakes

parsley

extra virgin olive oil

salt flakes

by Lorenzo Cogo