The mussel pepper dish is a classic of coastal towns, especially in the Campania area and all of southern Italy.
In my region, Abruzzo, living on the Adriatic coast, there are quality mussels that are really delicious.
When I was little, we used to eat them by the sack during the summer, yes because we would go and get them with a friend’s motorboat, then the controls increased and it was no longer so easy to do it… also our friend is no longer there.
A product that I have always liked very much, now when I buy them I look especially for Adriatic ones, mainly for the taste, also because if they are foreign, especially, they are very large and honestly, I find them off-putting seeing them so giant.
Always get the freshest mussels possible for this dish, because the flavor will reward you.
One thing, for example, that I cannot cook when my daughter is around, she doesn’t like them, so I understand if someone might frown, but I love them.
About 120 Kcal per person
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 3 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Mussel Pepper Dish
- 4.4 lbs mussels (fresh)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch parsley (fresh)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch pepper
Preparation of Mussel Pepper Dish
First, the mussels must be cleaned of external dirt and the beard, then rinsed well, placed in a large bowl with some salt, let them sit for 15-30 minutes, then drain and rinse them several times until they are well freed from the sand.
Let them drain while you start preparing the rest.
In a pan, put the extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves or grated garlic cloves (as I did), let them fry for a moment, then add the mussels and start cooking over medium heat, stirring them well.
Add the finely chopped parsley and powdered pepper, mix well and cover them with a lid, continuing to cook over medium-high heat.
In the meantime, if you want, you can toast some bread slices in a pan (to do it quickly), I didn’t, but it is generally paired.
Cook, stirring them occasionally for about 15-20 minutes, but after 10-12 minutes, raise the heat and remove the lid to complete the cooking.
Remember that at the end of cooking, all the mussels should have opened, and the ones that do not open should be discarded.
Serve with toasted bread if you prepared it and enjoy.
