Mussels alla marinara

Cozze alla marinara. All dishes called alla marinara were originally prepared by fishermen from the ingredients readily available to them on board. This dish is very simple, but delicious all the same.

• 2 kilograms Mussels, cleaned
• Parsley, chopped
• Plenty of pepper

1. Heat a dry pan to a high heat.
2. Add the mussels and plenty of black pepper.
3. As soon as all the mussels have opened, remove from the heat and sprinkle on the parsley.
4. Serve in bowls along with the liquid they released during cooking. Mop up the juice with some crusty bread.

Tiella of potatoes, rice and mussels – Authentic recipe

Tiella di patate, riso e cozze. Tiella alla Barese. Riso patate cozze. Finally the definitive recipe! This recipe was given to me by Tiziana who is one of the best cooks in Bari (or so her friend Rosa tells me 😉 ) Many thanks Tiziana. It uses mussels which have been opened when they are still raw. My fish monger did this for me, but in the UK you’ll probably have to do this yourself. Here’s a link to show you how. Good luck 🙂
Serves 6

Tiella ingredients

• 1.5kg potatoes, sliced
• 300g risotto rice, soaked in cold water
• 1kg mussels, opened on the half shell – reserve the liquid
• onions, sliced
• olive oil
• garlic, chopped
• parsley, chopped
• tomatoes, chopped
• pecorino Romano, grated
• parmesan, grated
• salt and pepper

1. Assemble the tiella as follows in an ovenproof dish, preferably terracotta
2. A layer of onions drizzled with oil
3. A layer of potatoes seasoned with garlic, tomatoes, parsley, sat and pepper, cheese. Drizzle with oil
4. A layer of mussels seasoned with garlic and parsley. Drizzle with oil
5. Drain the rice and distribute it over the mussels. Season with garlic, tomatoes, parsley, sat and pepper, cheese. Drizzle with oil
6. A layer potatoes.
7. Add the water reserved when you opened the mussels. Add water so that the final layer of potatoes is just covered
8. Cover tightly (maybe with alumnium foil) and bake at 180°C for up to two hours. Test from time to time with a skewer.
9. Uncover for the last 20 minutes of cooking to brown the top.

Tiella finished dish