“Cozze Ripiene” Stuffed Mussels Stuffed mussels are thrifty dishes originating in Puglia, on the southern tip of Italy. Puglia is one of the poorest regions in Italy, making this tasty dish very popular. The mussels are acquired from the sea, and the stuffing is made from leftover stale bread, maybe an egg, cheese, and some herbs, resulting in a very low-cost but tasty dish. It can be a side dish with some Pappardelle or Tagliatelle with the sauce as the main dish.

My Nonna came here from Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy. The dish was popular there for the same reasons in Puglia. As a child, we made this dish together, but she never used any recipes. I remember the stuffing was made from stale leftover bread, whatever cheese we had, sometimes parmesan, Locatelli, or Pecorino Romano. We always had eggs, and we usually spiced it up with basil. She had basil plants all over the house. Whenever we cooked, she would send me to grab a few handfuls.

Other versions of this recipe hail from Toscana and Liguria. Some of their versions had a white wine sauce. Whatever sauce you make, a mussel dish won’t be complete without some toasted bread to dip in the sauce. In this recipe, we cook the mussels in red sauce, but my Nonna and I used to bake or broil them sometimes. This changed the texture of the stuffing. Or if it was a holiday and we were using them for an appetizer, we didn’t use a red sauce because we were having some homemade pasta dish with red sauce later in the celebration. Whatever event or holiday we were celebrating, the food was important. I would have my mom take me early to Nonna’s because I wanted to help her cook.

Stuffed Mussels Ingredients:

• 2 Doz Fresh Mussels
• 1 Cup Unseasoned Breadcrumbs
• ¾ Cup Shredded Pecorino Romano Cheese
• 4 Cloves Fresh Minced Garlic
• 4 tbsp Fresh Chopped Italian Parsley
• 1 Hot Red Pepper
• 2 15 oz cans Pureed Tomatoes

Instructions:

• Let’s start by making the stuffing, Combine Breadcrumbs, Cheese, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp Parsley, Basil, and 2 cloves minced Garlic. Mix until a moldable stuffing is formed. If it is too dry add more oil or eggs.
• Scrub Mussels and remove beards. Shuck them open by inserting a pairing knife in the broad of the mussel and pry them open.
• Stuff the Mussel with about ¾ teaspoon of the stuffing. Try not to use too much stuffing or you won’t be able to enjoy the flavor of the Mussel.
• Prepare the sauce by combining the remaining parsley, minced garlic, Tomato puree, and thinly sliced hot pepper if you like a little more heat in your sauce add more hot pepper. Bring to a simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Add the Mussels to the sauce, and cover. Let the Mussels cook for 10-15 minutes then remove them from the sauce and serve.