Cozze Arraganate

Name: Cozze Arraganate
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Pugliese
Ingredients: 1000 g fresh mussels; 80 g stale rustic breadcrumbs; 30 g pecorino pugliese; 2 cloves Garlic; 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 tsp dried oregano; 45 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper

A classic dish from Taranto featuring fresh mussels baked on the half shell under a savoury crust of breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, and pecorino.

🇮🇹Italy· Apulia

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 40 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 310 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

1000 g fresh mussels — scrubbed, debearded, in the shell
80 g stale rustic breadcrumbs — coarsely grated or processed
30 g pecorino pugliese — finely grated
2 cloves Garlic — very finely minced
15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano — wild Mediterranean variety
45 ml Extra virgin olive oil — plus extra for greasing the pan
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper — coarsely ground

Equipment

•Baking sheet or wide earthenware dish
•Fine mesh sieve
•Stiff kitchen brush
•Mixing bowl
•Paring knife

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 310 kcal
fat: 16 g
carbs: 22 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 18 g
calories: 310 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C.
2
Scrub the mussel shells clean under cold running water and pull away the fibrous beards.
3
Carefully prise open each raw mussel over a bowl using a small paring knife, keeping the mussel meat in one half shell.
4
Strain the collected mussel liquor through a fine mesh sieve to catch any grit.
5
Discard the empty half shells and arrange the filled half shells in a single layer across a greased baking dish.
6
Combine the breadcrumbs, grated pecorino, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried oregano, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
7
Moisten the breadcrumb mixture with 30 ml of olive oil and two tablespoons of the strained mussel liquor until it feels like wet sand.
8
Spoon a generous mound of the breadcrumb topping over each mussel, pressing down lightly to secure it.
9
Drizzle the remaining olive oil evenly over the breadcrumb crusts.
10
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crisp at the edges.
11
Serve immediately while hot, straight from the baking dish.

Chef's tips

If opening raw mussels with a paring knife is difficult, steam them in a covered pot for just one minute until they barely pop open. Do not overcook the mussels, as they will dry out and turn rubbery under the grill.

Ingredient substitutions

pecorino pugliese → pecorino romano or grana padano
stale rustic breadcrumbs → panko breadcrumbs, though the texture is less traditional

Storage

Keep leftover cooked mussels in a covered container in the fridge for up to one day.

Reheating

Reheat gently in an oven preheated to 180 degrees C for five minutes until warmed through.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Discarding the natural mussel liquor, which provides crucial moisture and sea flavour to the breadcrumbs.
•Overbaking the dish, which results in dry, shrivelled mussel meat.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot as an antipasto alongside lemon wedges and chilled Locorotondo white wine.Accompany with slices of crusty Pane di Altamura to catch any juices.