Pancotto with Mussels

Pancotto with mussels is a traditional dish from southern Italy, combining the simplicity of pancotto, a type of bread soup, with the flavor of the sea provided by the mussels. Let’s see how to prepare this delicious recipe.

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh mussels
• 300 g stale bread
• 2 garlic cloves
• 400 ml fish stock (or water if unavailable)
• 1 bunch of parsley
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste (optional)
• A few cherry tomatoes (optional for a more colorful variation)

Preparation

1. Start by thoroughly cleaning the mussels: remove the byssus and scrape off any encrustations on the shell with a brush. Rinse them under cold running water.
2. In a large pan, sauté one garlic clove in extra virgin olive oil. When the garlic is golden, add the mussels and cover with a lid. Cook until they open (about 5-6 minutes). Once ready, shell most of the mussels, leaving some whole to garnish the dish.
3. Strain the water released by the mussels during cooking and set it aside.
4. In another pot, prepare a base by sautéing the remaining garlic with a little oil. Add the stale bread cut into pieces and lightly toast it.
5. Add the fish stock (or water) and the mussel cooking water. Let the bread absorb the liquid and break down, creating a thick soup, for about 10-15 minutes.
6. Add the shelled mussels to the pancotto and mix carefully. If using, add the cherry tomatoes cut in half.
7. Adjust with salt and pepper (or you can also use chili if you prefer a bit of spice).
8. Plate the pancotto and garnish with the whole mussels you set aside and fresh chopped parsley.

A curiosity: Pancotto with mussels is a recipe that reflects the philosophy of “poor cooking” typical of many Italian regions, where nothing was wasted and the goal was to enhance available ingredients, such as stale bread and seafood, creating dishes rich in flavor and tradition.