Name: Zuppa di Cozze (Mussel soup)
Yield: Serves 4-6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 small clove of garlic, chopped finely; 8 oz (225 g) pastina-orzo, stelline or other small soup pasta; 2 shallots, chopped finely; ¼ pint (150 ml) white wine; freshly ground black pepper; a knob of butter; 1¾ pints (1 litre) water; 4 pints (2.25 litres) fresh mussels; 6 tablespoons (6 X 15 ml spoon) olive oil; 1 teaspoon (5 ml spoon) salt; 4 tablespoons (4 X 15 ml spoon) finely chopped parsley; 2 tablespoons (2 X 15 ml spoon) tomato purée

Preparation info

Serves
4-6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Pasta Italian Style

By Patricia Lousada

Published 1991

About

This is a sumptuous soup which makes an elegant first course for a dinner party. The combination of the pasta, the aromatic broth and the steaming mussels in their shiny black shells looks and tastes delectable. Buy mussels that are tightly closed and barnacle-free as far as possible. The barnacles contain sediment, and since this soup is not strained they must be completely removed.

Italian garlic bread (known as ‘la brushetta’) goes very well with this soup. Slice a french stick d