The dish of the people who liked the king. The peppered mussels

Recipes of the Neapolitan cooking.

Tasty, succulent and simply exquisite, peppered mussels are both simple to prepare and extremely versatile, since they can be served as an appetizer or as a second course. This typically Neapolitan dish was considered a poor man’s meal until chef Vincenzo Corrado included it in his recipe book The Gallant Cook.  Preparation couldn’t be simpler: clean the shells with a metal brush and a knife to remove incrustations and pull out the mussel’s ‘beard’, the thin cord coming out of the shell. Rinse in cold water, then heat the oil with the garlic in a large pan for a few seconds and add the mussels. Cover and cook for a few minutes over a high heat until the mussels open, shaking the pan occasionally to bring out the juices. It should take 5 or 6 minutes for the mussels to open from the moment they are placed in the pan. As soon as the shells begin to open, add a liberal sprinkling of black pepper and, if desired, a handful of chopped parsley. A few more seconds and they are ready. Serve piping hot with bruschetta and a slice of lemon.

Ingredients (serves four)

2 kg Mussels

2-3 cloves garlic

½ cup Olive Oil:

Plenty of pepper

Chopped parsley (optional)