BAKED STUFFED MUSSELS

Baked Stuffed Mussels image

Provided by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

Yield Makes 8 (as part of antipasti) servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1/4 cup water
48 cultivated mussels (2 pounds), rinsed well
1 1/2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs from a crusty Italian loaf
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Accompaniment:
Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
Bring water with mussels to a boil in a wide 5-quart heavy pot, covered, then boil, covered, shaking pot occasionally, until mussels just open wide, 3 to 4 minutes. (Discard any unopened mussels.) Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid, and cool to room temperature.
Put 48 half mussel shells with mussels attached in a large shallow baking pan (discard other halves) and drizzle with some of reserved cooking liquid.
Stir together remaining ingredients, then top each mussel with about 1 teaspoon of mixture.
Bake until crumbs are golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.