Why This Recipe Works

'Nduja is a spicy, spreadable Italian salumi. Here, we melted it into a cream sauce for a deliciously meaty and piquant pasta.

Before You Begin

You can find 'nduja, a spicy spreadable sausage, in most Italian markets or online.

Instructions

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ¾ cup cooking water and drain pasta in colander. Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon olive oil and let sit in colander while cooking mussels.

Cook fennel seeds and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until seeds are sizzling and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shallots and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mussels and wine, increase heat to high, and cook, covered, until mussels have opened, 3 to 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large bowl; discard any that haven't opened.

Add cream and 'nduja to broth remaining in pot and bring to boil, breaking up 'nduja to dissolve in cream. Add pasta back to pot and stir until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Add basil and mussels to pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste. Serve.