Cozze Alla Marinara (gf) Recipe

Clean and inspect mussels

Rinse mussels under cold water. Discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. Remove beards by pulling toward the hinge. Set cleaned mussels in a bowl in the refrigerator while you prepare the sauce.

Sauté aromatics

Heat 3 tbs olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chopped shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and softened but not browned, about 2–3 minutes. Add the crushed red chili flakes and cook 30 seconds more to bloom the heat.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in the 120 ml white wine and increase heat to medium-high. Scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and let the wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Build the tomato sauce

Stir in the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes, then add the 120 ml stock. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and let it cook for 6–8 minutes to concentrate flavors. Taste and season with about 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper; adjust as needed.

Cook the mussels

Increase heat to medium-high so the sauce is gently bubbling. Add the cleaned mussels to the pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until all mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain closed after 6 minutes.

Finish with parsley and lemon

Remove the pot from heat. Stir in about 3/4 of the chopped parsley and the juice of 1 lemon. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper, or a pinch more chili flakes) to your preference.

Plate

Spoon mussels and generous amounts of sauce into warmed shallow bowls. Sprinkle remaining chopped parsley over the top for freshness.

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) or set a grill pan on medium-high heat. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet, brush both sides lightly with 2 tbs olive oil. Toast in the oven for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp; or grill 1–2 minutes per side until char marks appear.

When bread is warm, rub the exposed side of each slice with the halved garlic clove for a subtle garlic fragrance. Serve immediately alongside the mussels for dipping into the sauce. If gluten-free bread is requested, use the same toasting method.