Mussels "alla Toscana"

This dish is incredibly quick, very common in Tuscany and throughout Italy. It is a lovely and tasty starter for any kind of mains to follow. If you make a ton of it and chips this is also a great main course.

Ingredients (an aboundant starter for 2):

• 1 kg very fresh mussels, or as many as you can fit in your largest pot allowing the room to close the lid

• 4 medium garlic cloves

• Chopped chili flakes

• 40 gr extra-virgin olive oil

• Two tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley (not optional!)

Method:

• Prep the mussels (it takes 20 mins or so): put them all in the kitchen sink and cover abundantly with cold water

• Take out the filaments from each of them (you will have to pull a little)

• Rinse each mussel well (use a scratchy dish pad, or a nail brush to clean them)

• Put the mussels in a colander and give them a final shower with cold water. At this point discard any mussel that is open (most should have closed under the final shower)

• Put your garlic (chopped, not minced) and the chilli flakes in the oil on a medium heat until it reaches a good yellow colour (not brown). Add immediately the mussels, the wine and the parsley, stir well and close the lid

• Time it to 5 minutes (stir once after 3 mins)

• The mussels should have all opened and the flesh showing a light yellow/orange colour. If they don't look like the picture above leave for a further 2 mins. Discard the couple of mussels that did not open before serving