Baked Mussels (Cozze Al Forno)
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INGREDIENTS 4 dozen mussels, allow only 10 per person if they are very large
1 tablespoon vinegar
Olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Small bunch of parsley
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic
Fine fresh breadcrumbsRinse the mussels throughly under cold running water. Scrub vigorously with a stiff brush to remove beards and barnacles. Discard any that are open.
With a short, sharp knife open and discard one half of each shell. (Reserve any liquor or juice produced during preparation and pass through a fine sieve; mix it in a small bowl with the vinegar, 6 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, and finely chopped parsley; season with salt and pepper and set aside.)
Place the mussels on the half shell in a single layer in one or more large, shallow ovenproof dishes. Sprinkle with the prepared mixture, followed by more oil mixed with the peeled and minced garlic.
Cover each shell with a generous sprinkling of breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven at 400 to 450 degrees for about 1/4 hour. Serve very hot straight from the dish.
Makes 4 servings