Recipe

Mussel Pasta with Butrint Mussels: The Saranda Home Kitchen Version

Fish Shop Ardit · Sarande, Albania · May 2026

Pasta with mussels exists all along the Mediterranean. In Saranda the local version uses Butrint lagoon mussels, local olive oil, and a minimum of complication. This is the home kitchen version — what you make when you have fresh mussels from the counter, pasta, garlic, parsley, and a bottle of white wine.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 kg Butrint mussels (from Fish Shop Ardit)
• 400g linguine or spaghetti
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 150ml dry white wine
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Small bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 dried chilli (optional)
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Scrub the mussels under cold water, pull off any beards. Discard any open ones that don't close when tapped.
2. Cook pasta to just under al dente. Save 200ml pasta water before draining.
3. In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add garlic (and chilli), cook 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add wine, bring to boil, add mussels. Cover, cook 3-4 minutes shaking the pan until all mussels open. Discard any that don't open.
5. Add drained pasta to the mussel pan. Toss vigorously, adding pasta water to loosen.
6. Add parsley, season with black pepper. Serve immediately in deep bowls.

No cheese. This is a fish pasta — Parmesan would fight the flavour of the mussels. Bread for the sauce is mandatory.