Cozze alla Tarantina

Cozze alla Tarantina: Method

1. Scrape the shells with a knife to remove any impurities and pull off the beard (byssus). Rinse thoroughly under cold running water.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat half the olive oil with a few parsley stems and one garlic clove lightly crushed with the flat side of a knife. Add the mussels, sauté for one minute, then deglaze with the white wine. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes until the mussels begin to open.
3. As each mussel opens, remove it from the heat and set aside. Once all are cooked, filter the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve it for later use.
4. In another pan, heat the remaining olive oil with one minced or crushed garlic clove. Add the Mutti Peeled Tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle in the chili flakes. Pour in the filtered mussel liquid and simmer uncovered or partially covered for about 20 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and the flavors to concentrate.
5. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary. Add the cooked mussels to the sauce, stir gently, and finish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.
6. Serve immediately with slices of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil.