Impepata di Cozze, Italian Peppered Mussels

Impepata di Cozze is the simplest yet most good tasting seafood dish you can make at home. Fresh juicy mussels steamed with lots of black pepper, fresh parsley, and lemon juice and served with char-grilled ciabatta bread. Ready in 10 minutes!

Impepata di Cozze (peppered mussels) is so simple, we mean, the ingredient list will surprise you but believe us the flavour is good.

It's a Neapolitan classic but is loved and enjoyed all over Italy, especially during the summer months by the sea.

The mussels are steamed in their own juices with lots of black pepper there's no garlic, oil or white wine involved and don't be tempted to add it….this is the simplest dish and incredibly good the way it is.

We've enjoyed Impepata di Cozze many times in Italy but our absolute favourite thing is when it comes with a char-grilled slice of ciabatta bread at the bottom of the bowl.

The bread soaks up all the beautiful juices so it's a real treat to eat at the end and something we always do when making this at home.

See the recipe below including notes on ingredients, step by step photos and tips. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom or click the recipe link below.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Fresh mussels – the most important tip for this recipe is to use the freshest mussels you can get. We recommend going to a fishmonger for them (don't use frozen).
• Black pepper – freshly ground black pepper is a must don't use pre-ground pepper as it doesn't taste good.
• Parsley – use fresh flat-leaf parsley, don't use any dried herbs.
• Lemon – fresh lemon juice is optional but we highly recommend using it because it gives such a good flavour.
• Ciabatta bread – this is another optional addition to the recipe but definitely worth doing. Char-grill a few slices of ciabatta bread and place them in the bottom of each bowl so it soaks up the juice.

Step by step photos and instructions

Clean and prep the mussels

Scrub the mussels under cold running water and remove any beards (photo 1). Discard any broken mussels.

If any mussels remain open after cleaning give them a sharp tap and if they still don't close discard those too.

To cook the mussels

First drizzle the slices of ciabatta bread with olive oil and toast on a hot griddle pan until crispy and charred, set aside.

Heat a large deep pot on a medium heat and add the mussels straight to the pot followed by the pepper (don't be tempted to add any oil or liquid) (photo 2).

Put the lid on the pot and steam the mussels for 3-4 minutes making sure to give them a gentle shake every so often (photo 3).

Once cooked, the mussels should be fully open. Turn off the heat (photo 4).

Place a char-grilled piece of ciabatta in each bowl and top with the mussels and juices. Sprinkle over freshly chopped parsley and squeeze over some fresh lemon juice.

Note: discard any mussels that remain tightly shut after cooking. Don't eat any mussels that are difficult to open.

Recipe Tips

• Use fresh and high-quality ingredients – for a recipe this simple it's so important to use good quality fresh mussels (they should smell fresh and not fishy) so go to a reputable fishmonger for them.
• Follow our ingredient advice – for best results follow our advice for the ingredients e.g. use freshly ground pepper and fresh flat-leaf parsley.
• Quantities – you don't need to follow the exact quantities for this recipe since it is so easy. use the amount of mussels you need to serve each person followed by plenty pepper. We recommend 2kg (4.4lbs) for four people as a main dish.

How do we store mussels?

Mussels should be cooked either the same day you buy them or at the least the next day. Store them in the fridge until ready to prepare and cook, don't leave them out of the fridge for long before cooking.

How long do mussels last after cooking?

Mussels should be eaten straight away after cooking. You cannot prepare this meal in advance but it is so quick and easy there is no need to.

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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 2 kg fresh mussels (good quality (4.4 lbs))
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• A small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Lemon wedges (for serving)
• 4 slices of ciabatta bread

Method

Clean and prep the mussels

1. Scrub the mussels under cold running water and remove any beards. Discard any broken mussels. If any mussels remain open after cleaning give them a sharp tap and if they still don't close discard those too.

To cook the mussels

1. First drizzle the slices of ciabatta bread with olive oil and toast on a hot griddle pan until crispy and charred, set aside.

2. Heat a large deep pot on a medium heat and add the mussels (don't be tempted to add any oil or liquid) straight to the pot followed by the pepper.

3. Put the lid on the pot and steam the mussels for 3-4 minutes making sure to give them a gentle shake every so often.

4. Once cooked, the mussels should be fully open. Turn off the heat.

5. Place a char-grilled piece of ciabatta in each bowl and top with the mussels and juices. Sprinkle over freshly chopped parsley and squeeze over some fresh lemon juice.

6. Note: discard any mussels that remain tightly shut after cooking. Don't eat any mussels that are difficult to open.

Kitchen notes

• Use fresh and high-quality ingredients for a recipe this simple it's so important to use good quality fresh mussels (they should smell fresh and not fishy) so go to a reputable fishmonger for them.
• Quantities you don't need to follow the exact quantities for this recipe since it is so easy. use the amount of mussels you need to serve each person followed by plenty pepper. We recommend 2kg (4.4lbs) for four people as a main dish.