Stuffed Mussels “Alla Spezzina”

In places at the border such as the province of La Spezia, Liguria region, there are few certainties. One of these is the sensational dish muscoli alla spezzina, an emblem of the inseparable relationship between land and sea which especially in Liguria is constantly repeated. An example of this is one of the temples of traditional local cuisine, the Trattoria del Cacciatore di Valdonica, for the locals "dalla Dina", where the recipe for muscoli ripiene (how they call stuffed mussels) remains a secret.

La Trattoria del Cacciatore, since 1973

We feel obliged to warn you, once you enter Dina for the first time, it won’t be your last. Everything began in 1973 with Dina, then continued with her daughter Maura and granddaughter Giulia, who today, now the third generation runs the trattoria together. They are open only at lunchtime (except for rare occasions and special evenings) with a full and reasonable menu, including fresh pasta for only 10 euros. Lots of strong dishes to boast from both land and sea, such as tagliatelle, tortellini, cime ligure, and of course stuffed mussels, muscoli alla spezzina.

We are in fact right in between sea and mountains, between the Gulf of La Spezia and the Apuan Alps, in a Liguria that crosses with Tuscany and Emilia, which with its cold cuts and Parmigiano cheese (which we find in the mussels) is just beyond the Cisa and Passo del Cerreto. All of this unquestionably has strong influences in the kitchen, as demonstrated by this dish, which right here we have one of its best representations. Giulia and Maura let it slip that one of the reasons why the people from Cilento region come from afar is the fact that in the filling they never skimp on the mussels, unlike many other places, due to time and cost prefer to pack the filling with bread, which here is only used to bind it together with the egg. 

In the summertime, it’s not surprising that during their organized themed evenings on their large terrace you often find the star of the show is the stuffed mussels dish, if not you will find them on the menu. "Usually the portion is 10 pieces, but as in the best homes we often get spotless dishes and offer seconds to those who want it; the problem is that everyone always wants it! Have you any idea of the huge amount of work that is behind this dish?".

How to make stuffed mussels “alla spezzina”

Stuffed mussels is a summer dish, prepared between June and September when mussels reach their perfect size for consumption. Strictly local mussels are used, which the various mussel farmers, also united in a cooperative, fish in the Gulf of La Spezia. 

After having selected only the best mussels, it’s essential they are cleaned properly, using coarse salt in a bowl, elbow grease, and brillo pads. Once perfectly cleaned they must be opened from raw with a precise technique that has some similarities with the opening of the oysters, that is without dividing the flesh. 

Then we move on to preparing the filling with the following ingredients: mortadella (or ham), Parmigiano cheese, garlic, parsley, bread, eggs, and various herbs that everyone uses differently; and then also the mussels themselves, which are cooked separately for a few minutes. So, for a kilo of stuffed mussels, you have to work a total of about eight kilos of mussels! 

But that's not all, once you've filled your mussels with the stuffing, they still have to cook slowly for about 3-4 hours in a secret sauce. Those who make stuffed mussels as they used to do in the past have their own personal recipe that is kept very secret, also because given the preparation time and the complexity (whether you prepare 10 or 1000 it doesn’t change much) few people now left know how to make it properly, to the point that you eat less and less at home and more and more out, both on the coast and in Spezzino.