Stuffed Mussels in Tomato Sauce

Method

1. Clean the mussels: remove the beard by pulling from the outer side to avoid tearing the meat, and scrub the shells thoroughly under running water.
2. Cook the mussels in a large pan with a splash of water over high heat until they open. Remove them as soon as they open and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid.
3. In a separate pan, heat olive oil and sauté finely chopped onion (preferably Tropea) and grated garlic until fragrant.
4. Add peeled tomatoes, crushing them with your hands. Add a pinch of chili pepper and a ladleful of the reserved mussel cooking water. Simmer gently.
5. Prepare the stuffing: in a bowl, mix coarse breadcrumbs, grated pecorino, chopped parsley, grated garlic, and enough mussel cooking water to moisten. Add eggs one by one until the mixture is compact but moist. (He used 3 eggs.)
6. Stuff each mussel with the mixture, pressing firmly to fill completely.
7. Arrange the stuffed mussels in the tomato sauce. Sprinkle with a little extra parsley.
8. Cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the stuffing is set and the mussels are hot.
9. Serve hot, optionally grating additional pecorino over the top and drizzling with extra virgin olive oil.