Peppered mussels
The Recipe
• Easy
• 4 servings
• Preparation time 10 minutes
• Cooking time 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg of mussels
- 2 cloves of garlic
- freshly ground black pepper
- parsley
- extra virgin olive oil
- lemon
Preparation
Peppered mussels, or “a 'mpepata e cozze‘ as it is called in Naples, is an inexpensive Neapolitan dish that is as simple to make as it is irresistible.
It is prepared with mussels, garlic, oil, pepper and served with croutons.
1
Rinse the mussels under running water, scraping the surface with a steel wool pad or a knife to remove any impurities. Be sure to remove the beard attached to the hinge of the shell. Check that they are all tightly closed, with the shell intact. Discard any that are partially open; they could be spoiled and cause food poisoning.
2
Place the cleaned mussels in a large pan, cover with a lid, and cook them one by one over low heat for a few minutes. Transfer them all to another container and strain the liquid they release through a very fine sieve. Repeat this process a couple of times until the water is clear.
3
In another pan, sauté the crushed and unpeeled garlic in a little oil. Once golden, add the mussels with their juices. Cook for a few minutes, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle generously with freshly ground black pepper and add a few chopped parsley leaves (the original recipe doesn't call for it).
4
Serve your peppered mussels with lemon wedges and, if you like, pan-toasted bread croutons seasoned with a pinch of parsley and extra virgin olive oil.
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