I love all kinds of shellfish, and mussels in particular. Whether they are alla marinara, stuffed, alla tarantina or in pasta sauce, I could eat them until I felt sick. One of the recipes in which, in my opinion, they shine the most is oven gratin because the mollusk stays juicy and tender inside but with a crispy, flavorful crust on the outside…..just talking about it makes my mouth water! To tell the truth you can’t smell it, but while I write this article I’m getting an amazing aroma, because of course I cooked them to photograph them and even though it’s only five in the afternoon I wouldn’t rule out eating one before I finish this article!!! Back to the recipe: believe me, it’s disarmingly simple, you can hardly call it a recipe—just prepare Grandma Titti’s legendary breadcrumb mix (my mom) and the oven will do the rest. So what are you waiting for? Let’s cook Oven-Baked Gratinated Mussels together.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 SERVINGS
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs Mussels
- 4 tablespoons Breadcrumbs
- 1 bunch Parsley
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Parmigiano Reggiano (grated)
- to taste Extra virgin olive oil
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper (optional)
Preparation
First of all, clean the mussels under running water, removing the beard (just grab it with two fingers and pull and you will see it come off easily), then scrape the shells with a knife.
After cleaning them, put them in a pot with nothing in it—no water and no oil—cover with the lid and cook over high heat for 5 minutes to make them open. The original recipe suggests opening the shells raw with a knife, but don’t do it… I tried it and besides breaking most of them I even cut myself. Once opened, turn off the heat and let them cool.
Meanwhile, chop the garlic and parsley. In a bowl put the chopped mixture, add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper (optional). Mix thoroughly with a spoon to combine the ingredients well.
At this point take the mussel meats, discard the empty half of the shell and keep the half where the mollusk is attached. Arrange the mussels on a baking dish and cover each one with the prepared mixture.
Drizzle with a little oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 10 minutes. You will see the surface turn golden and a nice crust will form. At this point they are ready to be served.
Notes
Many fishmongers have a machine to clean them, but I do not recommend it for two reasons: firstly you should cook them immediately (at most within half an hour) and secondly in the cleaning process the mussels die and lose some of their internal water, which is what gives them their flavor.
This recipe can also be used for scallops; you can find the procedure here https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/capesante-gratinate-al-forno/
