Roasted Breaded Mussels - {Cozze Al Forno}

By á-174942

Ingredients

• 2 pounds medium mussels scrubbed, de-bearded
• Dry white wine as needed
• 2 tablespoons thinly-sliced garlic
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crumbled oregano
• 2 tablespoons freshly-grated pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 cup freshly-grated bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare the scrubbed mussels for cooking by rinsing under running water. Discard any that are gaping, keeping only those that are firmly closed; also discard any that are very heavy.

Place the mussels in a pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water or dry white wine over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, just until the mussels begin to open. (The mussels will continue cooking later). With a slotted spoon, remove the mussels to a bowl as they open.

When all the mussels are removed, strain the liquid in the pot through a fine sieve or several layers of cheesecloth. Reserve the liquid. (You should have 1/4 cup of liquid; if not, make up the difference with a little dry white wine or water.) Remove the mussels from their shells, reserving a half shell for each mussel. Set the half shells on a baking sheet and place a mussel in each one.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, parsley, oregano, grated cheese, and bread crumbs, then sprinkle the mixture over the mussels in a thin layer. Drizzle the olive oil and reserved strained mussel liquid over the breadcrumbs.

Bake the mussels for about 10 minutes or until the tops are brown and crisp. Serve piping hot or at room temperature. Do not reheat.

This recipe yields 4 to 8 servings.