* MUSSELS, ITALIAN ( ASHTON STYLE) (43)

INGREDIENTS:
     2 lbs of mussels
     2 medium onions peeled and sliced
     1/2 cup virgin olive oil
     1/2 can tomato paste (contadina or equivelent)
     3/4 can, 28 oz, contadina crushed tomatoes
     1 cup sparkling red wine (Ruinite Red is good
     for this recipe as it is a sweet sparkling wine)
     4 cloves garlic peeled, smashed and minced
     3 tab dried basil
     1/2 tsp salt
     1/2 tsp pepper
     1 tab of sugar (especially if you don't use a sweet wine
     1 lb pasta of your choice (such as thick spaghetti,
     penne pasta, lg shells, or linguini)

DIRECTIONS:
     1. wash mussels and debeard if necessary; put them
         into a pot with the wine and cook until they are open;
         disgard any that don't open, (set aside)
     2. put the olive oil in a lg fry pan and fry onions on
         moderate heat until they are lightly browned about
        8 minutes; then add the minced garlic and stir in and
        cook an additional 5 minutes (keep the olive oil in the
        pan and continue as follows:
     3. add 3 tab dried basil, salt, pepper, and sugar, stir in
     4. add tomatoe paste and stir in
     5. add 3/4 can 28oz crushed tomatoes and stir in
     6. add the mussels and wine, continue stiring  and cook for
         about 15 minutes on moderate heat using a defuser in
         between the pan and the burner (to prevent burning; if
         you don't have a defuser cook on low heat and make
        sure you continue to stir about 15 minutes
     7. mix pasta according to box and stir in the mussels with
        the sauce
     8. will serve 6 generosly