Pasta With Mussels, Lemon, And White Wine

1. Bring mussels and wine to boil in 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan, cover, and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until mussels open, about 5 minutes. As mussels open, remove them with slotted spoon and transfer to bowl. Discard any unopened mussels. (If desired, remove mussels from shells.) Drain steaming liquid through fine-mesh strainer lined with coffee filter, avoiding any gritty sediment that has settled on bottom of pan. Reserve liquid and set aside. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
2. Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in now-empty pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until garlic turns golden but not brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved mussel steaming liquid, lemon zest, and lemon juice, bring to simmer, and cook until flavors meld, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in mussels, cover, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1⁄2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add sauce to pasta and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Stir in parsley and season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

DEBEARDING MUSSELS
Mussels often contain a weedy beard protruding from the crack between the two shells. It’s fairly small and can be difficult to tug out of place. To remove it easily, trap the beard between the side of a small knife and your thumb and pull to remove it. The flat surface of a paring knife gives you some leverage to remove the beard.