Spaetzle, the traditional German egg dumpling, may seem like an unlikely pairing for mussels and saffron, but the irregular shaped pasta provides the perfect vehicle for lapping up every bit of the briny wine-and-butter broth. There are plenty of spaetzle makers on the market if you are so inclined, but you can also use a steamer insert or colander with ¼-inch holes. The idea is to push small amounts of the batter through the openings and into boiling salted water. As when cooking pasta, salt your water very generously — it should taste like the ocean.

Mussels are widely available in this area and happen to be a very affordable and sustainable protein source. Most cultivated varieties found in grocery stores are quite clean, but rinse them quickly under running water just to get rid of any mud or sand. Don’t immerse them or you will lose their flavorful brine. If you come across an occasional “beard’’ (fibrous threads the bivalves use to attach themselves to surfaces), grip firmly and pull toward the hinge end to remove. Another crucial step is to check that all your mussels are alive. Any opened shells should be tapped on a hard surface — if they don’t close within a few seconds, toss them.

The dish itself comes together very quickly once the spaetzle is made and the mussels and other ingredients are prepped, all of which can be done hours before serving. If you don’t have an extra-large skillet (14 inches), divide your ingredients and cook in two batches. The pan should be extremely hot before adding the mussels. This helps to open them quickly without overcooking and also emulsifies the wine and butter. Start cooking the mussels about 10 minutes before you’d like to eat. Have the serving bowls ready, because once they’re done, there is no time to waste.

Claudia Catalano

Claudia Catalano can be reached at claudia.j.catalano@gmail.com.