Braised mussels with tomato, chilli and olives (cozze alla Siciliana)

Very fresh mussels are essential to this dish – when they open they release all their lovely sea water into the sauce, and as you’re eating this you should taste the ocean.

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 200 ml olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• chopped red chilli to taste
• 400 ml tomato puree
• 200 ml white wine
• pinch of chopped fresh (or dried) oregano
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 kg mussels, cleaned and debearded
• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• handful of basil leaves
• 100 g black olives, stoned

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan and sauté the garlic and chilli until lightly softened. Add the tomato puree, wine and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Add the mussels and cover with a lid. Cook for about 3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels open. Scatter with the herbs and olives and serve immediately.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.