Spaghetti con mussels (i can't remember what mussels is in Italian - I know clams are vongole)

This is my easy version of a recipe that you can find more complicated versions if that's the way you roll. Personally I think this way tastes great and though in the hands of a michelin starred chef or an Italian nonna the longer way probably tastes epic, I doubt mine would be much improved. I didn't cook enough spaghetti though and unfortunately in my world eating a smaller portion doesn't mean weight loss it means too many chocolates in front of the telly. The picture is very badly lit - sorry!

I did this for me so just x by the amount of people you are serving. I was a bit haphazard with the measurements (ie didn't really measure) so don't feel the need to stick to them too carefully! Italians don't generally have cheese with seafood so you don't need to miss it or apologise for not passing it round.

Garlic olive oil
1/4 of an onion diced (i used a big spoonful of my beloved Eazy Onions)
About 500g mussels, washed, debearded, open ones thrown away
100g chopped tomatoes
70ml water or wine
Couple of tbsp of chopped parsley (waitrose do a handy pouch of frozen chopped parsley that you can just scoop some out of & voila! They do other herbs too which will no doubt find their way into my freezer)

Get the water on for the spaghetti. In a large deep fry pan with a lid fry the onions in the garlic oil before adding the tomatoes, water/wine, pepper and a spoon of parsley. Get it to bubbling point, add the mussels, shake and pop the lid on. Shake every so often. Put the spaghetti in. Once the mussels are open take the lid off and reduce the sauce, take out any that haven't opened and any empty shells (I encouraged some to come out to make it easier to eat!). When the spaghetti is done, drain it and add it to the sauce stirring (i read somewhere that it should be pasta to sauce not sauce to pasta, I can't remember where!). Add the second lot of parsley and stir in. Serve, eat, break out the chocolate.

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