Mussels au Gratin

Cozze al gratin is a classic dish from southern Italy, especially prevalent in Puglia. It's easy to make, especially if you buy pre-cleaned mussels, but makes an elegant appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds (2.5 k) live mussels, washed and purged
• 6 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Abundant freshly minced parsley

Preheat your oven to 440 F (220 C).

Carefully wash the mussels, passing them multiple times under running water to remove any dirt and impurities. Place a saute pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp oil. When hot, add 1 clove of peeled garlic.
When the garlic becomes golden, add the mussels and 1/4 cup of water. Cover and cook until open, then remove from the heat and let cool. When cool, remove the half-shells without mussels and discard.

Mix the bread crumbs with half the oil, the minced parsley and garlic, and season the mixture to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. You can also add a pinch of red chile flakes if you'd like a little spice. Spread the mixture over the mussels, put them in a low-sided oven-proof dish, drizzle the remaining oil over them, and bake them until the bread crumbs brown, about 10 minutes.