Tiella Barese di Riso, Patate e Cozze
A classic baked Barese layered dish of raw rice, fresh mussels, thinly sliced potatoes, tomatoes, and pecorino cheese.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Round terracotta tiella or baking dish (approx 30 cm)
- •Fine mesh sieve
- •Oyster or small paring knife
- •Mandoline or sharp chef knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 18 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 24 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Scrub the mussel shells clean under cold running water and remove the fibrous beards.
- 2
Pry open each mussel raw over a bowl to catch the liquor, discarding the empty top half-shells.
- 3
Filter the collected mussel liquor through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove any residual sand.
- 4
Coat the bottom of the baking dish with two tablespoons of olive oil, sliced onions, and a few tomatoes.
- 5
Arrange half of the sliced potatoes over the onions, seasoning lightly with salt, pepper, parsley, garlic, and grated cheese.
- 6
Lay the raw mussels on their half-shells in a single tight layer across the potatoes.
- 7
Scatter the uncooked rice evenly over the mussels, letting grains fall into the open shells.
- 8
Cover with remaining potatoes and tomatoes, then scatter with garlic, parsley, remaining cheese, and breadcrumbs.
- 9
Slowly pour the filtered mussel liquor and water down the dish side until liquid reaches the top potato layer.
- 10
Drizzle with remaining olive oil and bake at 200 degrees C for 45 minutes until the crust is golden and bubbling.
- 11
Rest the tiella at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to allow flavours to settle.
Chef's tips
Never pre-cook the mussels or rice; assembling them raw allows the rice to absorb the natural briny juices. Pour the water gently down the inside rim of the dish to keep the top crust seasoning intact.
Ingredient substitutions
- Canestrato Pugliese cheese → Pecorino Romano or aged Pecorino Sardo
- Carnaroli rice → Arborio or Vialone Nano rice
Storage
Store cooled leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in an oven preheated to 160 degrees C for 10 minutes, or enjoy at room temperature.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the mussels beforehand, which removes the flavourful juices needed to cook the rice.
- •Pouring liquid directly over the top layer, which washes away the cheese and breadcrumb crust.
- •Slicing the potatoes too thickly, leading to hard potato layers while the rice overcooks.
Serving suggestions
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