This is a typical Apulian recipe that I recommend you to try: Mussels open on the fire also called impepata di cozze. In Puglia we particularly love the very famous Taranto mussel but you can of course make this recipe with any mussel from any place. This recipe has many variations of mussels, with or without tomato, or with the addition of white wine but in my personal opinion as a Taranto native, tasting them without tomato and without wine is ideal, as it does not alter the unique taste of the mussel and the palate will say thanks to you. Below I will explain in detail how to clean mussels which is a little bit of a challenge but if you want you can choose to have them cleaned by your trusted dealer. Here I propose a version in all its simplicity, knowing full well that there are many all very good.
Ready also
Ingredients
- Power 297,61 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 10,18 (g) of which sugars 0,81 (g)
- Proteins 29,58 (g)
- Fat 16,11 (g) of which saturated 3,37 (g)of which unsaturated 4,74 (g)
- Fibers 0,12 (g)
- Sodium 822,89 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Tools
Steps
Mussels retain sea water to breathe. When you go to buy mussels at the fishmonger, check the weight of the different bags and take the one that seems heavier to you: it means that the mussels contain more water and are also fresher.
Mussels should only be cooked if they are still alive. If they are closed, it means they are alive. If the shell has even a hole (even a small one) the mussel cannot be eaten.
To clean the shells from encrustations, put them under running water and rub them against each other for a few minutes. The shells will clean themselves this way, thanks to friction. Never put mussels in still (not running) water: they will open to breathe, releasing salt water and taking in tap water. Exactly what we want to avoid.
To remove the external “beards”, take the mussel so that the opening of the valves is facing upwards and tear the beards downwards with a sharp blow
With a net, rub the mussels and clean them well always under running water and transfer them to a cup
Now proceed to prepare the dish. Put a little oil in a very large pan in which you will brown the garlic (crush the cloves with the blade of a knife to better flavor the oil) and when it is hot, put the mussels in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally until the mussels are all open.
Once the mussels are open, I recommend filtering the liquid that is created because even if they are cleaned perfectly, some impurities could be found and the same water should be put back in the pan with the mussels
At this point, pour in plenty of parsley and black pepper (freshly ground would be ideal) and serve accompanied by bread.
Varied doses for servings