Impepata di cozze (peppered mussels) is a traditional food in Naples that is easy to make as well as delicious. All you do is steam the mussels open and serve them with a grind of fresh pepper and the liquid released while they cook. In Italy, this dish is often featured as an appetizer, and it’s one of the best ways to start a good seafood dinner.
The mussels
The most famous are Spanish mussels caught in the Atlantic and exported from Spain. There are also Mediterranean mussels, which grow up to 4 inches long and live attached to reefs or underwater objects. The so-called “hairy mussels,” given this name because of the fuzz on their shells, are also valued. You can recognize them because they’re relatively small (just under 2 inches long) and their shells are purplish. All mussels sold must be identified and have a label showing the packaging date and the minimum storage date. They should be wrapped in a net and can’t be sold individually.
How to clean mussels
After buying mussels, make sure that they are all firmly closed and have unbroken shells. Throw out any that have opened, as they could be spoiled and cause food poisoning. If the mussels were farmed, cleaning should be fairly quick. Coastal mussels, however, will have parasites on their outer shells, which should be removed with a knife. Next, remove the byssus threads that anchor the mussels to the reef and rinse the mussels under running water, scrubbing them with a metal brush. Remember that mussels should be eaten within about 12 hours of being cleaned.
Directions for making peppered mussels
Put the cleaned mussels in a large pot, cover the pot and steam them all open over low heat. After a few minutes, check that all of them have opened and discard any that have remained closed. Pour everything out into another container and strain the liquid they released. In another pan, fry a clove of garlic in a little oil and, when it turns golden, add the mussels and their strained liquid. Cook for a few minutes, then remove from heat. Sprinkle them generously with black pepper, add a little minced parsley and serve the peppered mussels on bread that has been oiled and toasted in the oven.