One of Puglia's most beloved dishes, riso, patate e cozze (rice, potatoes, and mussels) is more similar to paella than risotto. Also known as tiella, the dish originated around the 16th century during Spanish rule, earning a slot in the canon of Italian cuisine where it has remained ever since. The recipe is below. Watch chef Luigi Fineo prepare his version of tiella, then give it a whirl.
Riso, Patate e Cozze (Rice, Potatoes and Mussels) by Chef Luigi Fineo
Ingredients:
4 oz. arborio rice (100 grams)
20 mussels in half-shell
2 medium-size sliced Yukon gold potato
5 oz. red grape tomato (150 grams)
¼ yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ bunch parsley leaves
2 oz. grated pecorino cheese (50 grams)
extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup mussel broth (250 grams)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 380°F.
Lightly rinse the rice to remove part of the starch surface.
Clean the mussels externally with steel wool and wash them under running water.
Open the raw mussels by pressing one of the two valves forward until it cracks open. Insert a small knife and slide it until it opens all the way. Keep the fruit inside one shell only.
Drizzle a pan with olive oil, and then add the onions and garlic. Add some of the cherry tomatoes and ⅓ of the parsley.
Place all the mussels in the pan with the fruit facing upwards, forming a layer. Sprinkle with the rice, but don't let it enter any of the open mussels.
Add one layer of cherry tomato along with half the remaining parsley and half of the Pecorino. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Make a layer of potatoes, cherry tomatoes, the remaining onions, and garlic.
Sprinkle the remaining parsley and Pecorino over the top, then drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over it. Pour the mussel broth gently, starting from the side then going in a circle up until the juice lightly touches the potato.
Place in the oven for around 40 minutes.
