Cozze da Sballo

Method

1. In a cold pan, add olive oil, crushed garlic cloves, and parsley stems. Turn on the heat and let sizzle until fragrant.
2. Meanwhile, cut the cherry tomatoes in halves or quarters. Season with salt and olive oil, mix, and set aside.
3. Once the soffritto is ready, remove the garlic and parsley stems. Add the mussels, cover with foil or a lid, and cook until they open. As they open, transfer them to a bowl, reserving the liquid in the pan.
4. Filter the mussel cooking liquid through a strainer lined with paper towel to remove any sand or debris.
5. Return the filtered liquid to the pan. Add a little more olive oil and a piece of fresh chili pepper. Add the tomato passata. Cover and cook on low heat, with the lid slightly open, until the sauce thickens.
6. While the sauce cooks, clean the cooked mussels: remove the top shell and the beard if present. Keep some whole with shell for garnish.
7. When the sauce is ready, add chopped parsley. To serve, place the fresh tomato salad at the bottom of a plate, ladle the tomato sauce over, arrange the mussels on top (both shelled and whole), garnish with more parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.