MIDYA BOREG (MUSSEL PIE)

Midya Boreg (Mussel pie) image

Provided by Marian Burros

Time 1h20m

Yield 12 to 14 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
6 cups minced onions
3 cups uncooked rice
1/2 cup currants
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
4 cups water
1 cup pine nuts (pignoli)
6 dozen mussels
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups plain yogurt

Steps:

Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Add onions and saute until wilted.
Stir in rice, currants, spices and salt to taste. Pour in water, stir, and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover saucepan, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. If liquid evaporates before rice is cooked, add a little more.
Stir in pine nuts. Set aside.
Scrub mussels, remove beards and discard any with broken shells. Place mussels in large skillet and set over heat. As soon as they start to open, remove mussels and discard shells. Discard any mussels that do not open. Remove shells over cup or bowl to keep the mussel liquid. Filter the liquid through a double layer of moistened cheesecloth.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread one-quarter of the rice on the bottom of each of two 10-inch ovenproof dishes. Push some of the rice up around the edge to make a ''shell.''
Arrange half the mussels on each bed of rice and sprinkle with parsley, dill and lemon juice. Reserve 8 to 10 tablespoons of the rice and spread the rest on top of the mussels. Dribble a few tablespoons of the reserved mussel liquid over the rice.
Combine 2 tablespoons of the mussel liquid with the yogurt; add the reserved rice and spread half of this mixture evenly over each pie.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until tops are lightly browned. Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 415, UnsaturatedFat 13 grams, Carbohydrate 50 grams, Fat 18 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 16 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 741 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams