Pasta Ratatouille With Mussels And Fresh Shimeiji

Combining two most delightful ingredients in my pasta meal makes me the happiest person.  I can tuck in 2 plates each time and yet not feel guilty LOL!  Mussels and shrooms are the star of this pasta.  I added in eggplant/aubergine and tomatoes for a ratatouille flavor , turning it more into a ratatouille pasta than anything else.  Even Wild Boar took more than his usual portions :)  This is simple and easy to whip up especially if you are hard pressed for time.  The mussels I used are fresh from the wet market without shells on. I prefer this than the frozen ones . I love the flavorful thick sauce coated on every strand of spaghetti and the subtle fragrant of the fresh italian parsley ....mmmmm delish !  

Cooking the thick ratatouille sauce for the spaghetti is so easy.  Simmer the sauce until the tomatoes and aubergine has softened and the herbs fragrant sauce has thickened and  absorbed into their soft texture . Stir in the cooked spaghetti and mix until every strands of spaghetti is coated with the thick sauce. And garnish with the chopped Italian parsley....so easy ...right! Done under an hour.  

the sauce consists of tomato paste, italian dried herbs, black pepper

garlic, diced tomatoes, diced eggplant/aubergine, shimeiji and mussels.

seasoning to taste

Add in the cooked pasta ( cooked in salt water till al dente )

mix till  every strands of spaghetti is coated

with the flavorful sauce and garnish with

the chopped italian parsley

Seriously ,I can tuck in 2 plates of this delicious Pasta Ratatouille.

The mussels and shimeiji add extra protein and iodine to my diet :p

Pasta Ratatouille With Mussels And Shrooms

Ingredients:-

cooked spaghetti -  enough for 2 persons

ratatouille sauce

1 small can of tomato paste mixed with 1 cup of water

2 cloves of garlic- chopped finely

2 tsp of dried italian herbs

1 tsp of coarsely ground black pepper

2 tbsp of parmesan cheese

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 cup of diced eggplant/aubergine

1 cup of fresh shimeiji  mushrooms

1 cup of diced tomatoes

8 pieces of fresh mussels without shells - cleaned and drain dry

Preparation:-

Cook spaghetti with salt water till al dente. Drained dry and keep aside.

Saute the garlic with olive oil in a deep non-stick pan till fragrant, add in the tomato paste mixture , add in the diced eggplant and stir fry till half cooked, add in the tomatoes and shimeiji shrooms and let the mixture in the pan to simmer till softened, add in the mussels and continue to let it simmer till all the ingredients are cooked through.  * If you want more sauce, add in 1/2 cup more of water ) 

Add in the dried herbs , parmesan cheese and black pepper and salt to taste.  Lower heat and add in the cooked spaghetti and mix well till every strand of the spaghetti is well coated with the sauce.  Garnish with fresh parsley and serve them hot.

Enjoy !