In May, we visited the Venetian coast, where one of the most common ways to serve seafood is gratinated with breadcrumbs. This preparation is especially delightful with mussels—their natural brininess is deepened by the heat of the oven, while the breadcrumbs are flavored by the mussel juices, creating a golden, savory crust. It’s a humble recipe, yet irresistibly delicious.

Ingredients

• 12 mussels
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh flat leaf parsley
• extra virgin olive oil
• 4 Tbsp dry breadcrumbs

Instructions

Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan with the mussels and a halved garlic clove.

Cover and cook over medium-high heat…

…until the mussels have just opened. To avoid bitterness, make sure the garlic doesn’t brown too much; you may need to adjust the heat or remove the garlic before the mussels have fully opened. 

Opening the mussels like this without any added water or wine will make the mussel juices extra concentrated and will only need a bit of liquid anyway.

Drain the mussels, reserving the liquid.

Once the mussels have cooled enough to handle comfortably, gently remove the top shell, leaving the mussel nestled in the bottom half. This creates the classic “half shell” presentation, perfect for gratinating.

Preheat the oven to 225C/440F.

In a small bowl, combine the dried breadcrumbs with finely minced parsley and a few generous grinds of black pepper.

Stir until well mixed.

Now, pour in a bit of the reserved mussel liquid and stir until the mixture is well combined. The goal is to achieve a creamy consistency—moist enough to hold together, but not overly wet. This balance ensures the topping will crisp up beautifully in the oven without becoming soggy.

Place the mussels on a baking sheet, arranging them so they sit steadily on their half shells. Spoon a bit of the breadcrumb mixture onto each mussel, making sure to cover the flesh well. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top to help the crust turn golden and crisp. Bake in the preheated oven at 225°C (440°F) for about 10 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.

They can be served immediately while still hot, or allowed to cool slightly.