Stuffed mussels is a favorite throughout Italy. According to the Recipe Zaar In Tuscany alone there are at least three traditional dishes whereas here New Zeland we, well in my family, mostly just boil them for a few minutes and hey presto.
So just for a change, this is how they cook ‘em up in Livorno.
Recipe thanks to Recipe Zaar You can get detailed nutritional information here
Stuffed Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Recipe | 1¾ hours | 1 hour prep
By: alfrescoacsi
Apr 26, 2010
SERVES 4 -6 , 24 stuffed mussels (change servings and units)
ingredients for 2 dozen large-sized mussels (about 15 oz.)
Stuffing
10 ounces ground beef
3 ounces stale crusty bread
1 1/2 cups broth
1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley
1 garlic clove (minced)
ground black pepper (20 turns of pepper mill)
3-4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
Tomato sauce
25 ounces crushed peeled tomatoes
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley
1 small chili pepper (minced)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
liquid released from mussels
1 teaspoon salt
Garnish
1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley
Directions
- Beard and clean mussels.
- Open mussels over bowl to collect liquid. Set aside.
- Cut stale bread up into cubes, place in bowl and moisten with broth. Let stand till bread has softened.
- Squeeze bread well of all liquid.
- Mix all the stuffing ingredients well in a bowl.
- Stuff mussels placing a heaping tablespoon of the stuffing on an open shell, press the two shells shut and wipe off the stuffing that squishes out.
- Make the tomato sauce. Sauté garlic, chili pepper and parsley in the oil over medium heat (do not let garlic brown).
- Add the crushed peeled tomatoes, stir and then add the mussel juice you’ve kept aside.
- Let sauce simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Gently place mussels into pan, cover and let mussels stew for about half an hour or until stuffing has cooked through.
- Serve and garnish with a sprinkling of parsley.
