LINGUINE CON LE COZZI (with red mussel sauce, for four)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 pounds small mussels, scrubbed and debearded

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup canned plum tomatoes, roughly chopped with their juices

1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (more to taste)

1 pound linguine

½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley

1. Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil in a large pasta pot and add 5 tablespoons of salt.

2. In a 14- to 16- inch skillet, heat oil and garlic over medium heat until the garlic is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mussels, wine, tomatoes and pepper flakes, cover, and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until all the mussels have just opened (if you use clams in this recipe, they will take 6 to 7 minutes to open).

3. Meanwhile, drop the pasta into the salted water and cook according to the package instructions to 1 minute short of al dente , (9 to 10 minutes from after the water returns to a boil). It should still be quite firm.  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta in a colander and pour immediately into the skillet with the mussels.

4. Cook over high heat for 45 seconds. Stir in the parsley, add some of the reserved pasta water if the pasta seems too dry, and serve in a large bowl.

adapted from Mario Batali, Holiday Food