Cozze Ripiene from Aperitivo

Submitted by Food.com

"Mussels stuffed with breadcrumbs and herbs ||| Text excerpted from APERITIVO © 2017 by Kay Plunkett-Hogge ||| I first had these stuffed mussels at a beachside café on the Adriatic Coast. And I was promptly struck by the wonderful combination of textures — the soft, creamy mussels juxtaposed with the crunch of the toasty breadcrumbs, all set off by the fire of Puglian chilli. As a plus, each morsel comes in its own handy container. Which makes them perfect to enjoy with a drink."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 2 lbs and 4 oz mussels
• 3 1⁄2 fluid ounces white wine
• 7 fluid ounces water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• lemon wedge, to serve

• For the stuffing

• 3 1⁄2 ounces breadcrumbs
• 1 large handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 -4 small dried peperocini bell peppers, crumbled
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

directions

1. First clean the mussels, pulling off any excess beard you may find sticking out of their shells.
2. Pour the white wine and the water into a large pan and bring to the boil. Add the mussels, discarding any that are open, and bring back to the boil. Place a lid on and steam until they are open. Drain the mussels and discard any that are still closed. Leave to cool long enough for you to be able to handle them.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6.
4. Mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, chilli and garlic. Season with salt and pepper – be careful with the salt, as the mussels will already have a salinity to them.
5. Once you can handle the mussels, remove the top shells by gently twisting, leaving the mussel meat attached to the bottom shell. Place them on one or two large baking trays. Top each mussel with a generous helping of the crumb mixture. Drizzle all over with the olive oil.
6. Bake for about 10–15 minutes, or until fragrant, crisp and golden.
7. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
8. Recipe courtesy of Aperitivo by Kay Plunkett-Hogge.
9. Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Aperitivo-Drinks-snacks-Dolce-Vita/dp/178472310X/.