With the arrival of the summer season, the tables of Puglia come alive with fresh colors and aromas, and cavatelli with mussels and beans become an indispensable dish for those wishing to savor the authenticity of local cuisine. This recipe, typical of the coastal areas, celebrates the quality of fresh mussels, which open in a warm embrace during cooking, releasing their sea flavor and enriching the dish with a salty note. The preparation of cavatelli, handmade with flour and water, requires a certain skill, but the result rewards every effort: a rustic pasta that pairs perfectly with the creaminess of the beans and the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes. Ideal for a family lunch or a dinner among friends, this dish is best enjoyed with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, bringing to the table a taste of Puglia that evokes summer and the conviviality of outdoor evenings.

For the pasta: knead the flour with warm water and work it until you obtain a smooth dough. Break off pieces that you will roll into small cylinders. Cut pieces of about 2 cm and with the tip of a knife, rub them on the work surface, creating small elongated shells. Place them on a cloth to dry. Clean and scrape the mussels and open them over high heat in a pot with a lid. Once ready, remove them from their shells and strain the remaining liquid. Sauté two halves of a garlic clove in a pot with oil and parsley stems, let it reduce slightly and add the mussel liquid and chopped cherry tomatoes. Let it thicken a bit, then add the beans with their cooking water and finally the mussels. Pour the "cavatelli" cooked al dente into the pot and mix carefully. Transfer everything to a pan for a few minutes. For the final seasoning, add chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper.