Stuffed mussels

SERVES 4 AS A STARTER 300g fresh mussels, cleaned

and de-bearded

TOMATO SALSA

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ brown onion, finely diced

400ml tomato passata or

1 x 400g tin chopped roma tomatoes

Sea salt and freshly ground

black pepper

STUFFING

3 tbsp grated aged pecorino

3 tbsp grated parmesan

120g crustless white bread,

roughly torn

1 egg

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 To make the tomato salsa, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan with a lid over low heat, then add the onion and cook for 10 minutes or until translucent and just starting to colour. Add the passata or tomatoes, making sure you add some water to the jar or tin to collect all the contents and pour it into the pan. Simmer for 20 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

2 Add the mussels to the salsa. Increase the heat to mediumhigh, then cover and cook for about 2 minutes, lifting the lid to check for open shells. Remove the shells as they start to open with tongs and set aside, then replace the lid. Check again in 30 seconds and remove any shells that have opened. Repeat until all shells have started to open – after 5 minutes, any shells that are still closed should be discarded. ( You can also steam open the mussel shells in a separate frying pan over high following the same method as above. Save the juices left into the pan and tip some of them into the salsa.) 3 To make the stuffing, place the cheeses, bread, egg, parsley and a couple of teaspoons of water (or ‘mussel juice’ if you have any left over from steaming the mussels in their own pan) in a mini food processor and process until the mixture clumps together, adding a bit more water if it is too dry.

4 Spoon the bread mixture into the open mussels and close the shells as much as you can (they will probably remain partly open). Arrange the shells in the salsa. If the salsa is a bit thick, add a few splashes of water.

5 Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 20–30 minutes until the stuffing is cooked through. Serve directly from the pan in the centre of the table or spoon the salsa into individual dishes and place the mussels on top.