Zuppa Estiva di Cozze

• 2.5 kg (5.½ lb) mussels, cleaned
• 120 ml (

Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan, add the garlic slivers, and cook gently until light brown. Add half the basil leaves and the tomatoes, and cook, stirring over a fierce heat, until the tomatoes break up and reduce to a thick sauce. This should take about 15 minutes, if the tomatoes are ripe. If the tomatoes are unripe, they will be less juicy, so add some of the r