🫘🦪 Beans and Mussels (Fagioli e Cozze) – by Chef Antonella 🤤🇮🇹
This southern Italian classic—fagioli e cozze—is a beautiful marriage of land and sea. Tender white beans, simmered until creamy, are paired with plump, briny mussels in a rich, garlicky broth. It’s a humble yet deeply flavorful dish often enjoyed in Puglia or Napoli, and Antonella brings it to life with simplicity, soul, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Served with toasted bread to soak up every drop of the broth, this dish is rustic, nourishing, and unforgettable—just like a home-cooked Sunday meal by the coast.
🍲 Fagioli e Cozze (Beans and Mussels) – Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) fresh mussels, cleaned
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) dried cannellini or borlotti beans (or use 2 cans, drained)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
- Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Crusty bread for serving
Instructions
- Cook the beans (if using dried): Soak overnight, then simmer until tender (about 1–1.5 hours).
- Steam the mussels: In a covered pot with a splash of water, cook mussels until they open (5–7 minutes). Remove from shells and strain cooking liquid through a fine sieve—save it!
- Sauté: In a pan, heat olive oil, add garlic and chili. Sauté until fragrant.
- Add beans and tomatoes: Stir in cooked beans and cherry tomatoes. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Combine: Add mussels and a few tablespoons of the strained mussel liquid to flavor the broth. Simmer a few more minutes.
- Serve: Finish with fresh parsley, pepper, and toasted bread.
Antonella’s Tip: Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving—it gets even better! 🥰
Buon appetito!
4o
