Tiella Barese

Traditional Apulian dish based on rice, potatoes and mussels, enriched with onion and tomato.

INGREDIENTS
– Carnaroli rice 300 g
– Mussels 500 g
– Potatoes 500 g
– Garlic 2 cloves
– Parsley 30 g
– Water 300 ml
– Coppered tomatoes 3
– White onions ½
– Parmigiano Reggiano 50 g
– Breadcrumbs 30 g
– Extra virgin olive oil 5 tablespoons
– Fine salt q.b.
– Black pepper q.b.

Prep time: 1 hours 20 mins – Level: Easy – Doses: 6 Doses

PREPARATION
To prepare the tiella barese, start cleaning the mussels well: remove the byssus, scrape the surface with a small metal mesh to eliminate barnacles and wash them well under running water to eliminate all impurities. With the help of a small knife and with a smooth blade open the mussels, starting from the tip and making a round along the edge of the mussel. During the operation, place a bowl under the mussels to collect their water. Still with the knife, remove the mollusc from the upper valve and bring it entirely to the lower valve. Remove the empty valve and gently press the mollusc so that it releases all the water. When you have opened all the mussels, filter the liquid obtained from the mussels, with a sieve with tight meshes, so as to eliminate any residual shell or sand.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices, helping you with a mushroom slicer, and keep them aside in a bowl with cold water. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into round slices (like potatoes). Meanwhile, mince or squeeze the garlic, wash and finely chop the parsley. Finally sliced, always with a mushroom slicer, the onions in thin rings.

Oiled with 4 tablespoons of oil a round ceramic baking dish with a diameter of 28 cm and with the edges about 5 cm high and start composing the tiella: put the onion on the bottom (you can also leave aside a few pieces of onion to put between the successive layers), some garlic and arrange the potatoes radially so you do not leave any space. Add a few slices of tomato, add salt and pepper and distribute a handful of chopped parsley.

Now arrange the raw mussels radially, leaving a little space between them. At this point distribute the raw rice in handfuls covering the whole surface of the tiella. Pour gently on one side of the baking sheet all the filtered mussel water, which will make the preparation tastier.

Now make up a layer of potatoes arranged in a radial pattern and close together and complete the layer with the remaining tomatoes. Add salt and pepper again and distribute the remaining parsley. Sprinkle the surface of the tiella with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and finish with the gratin: sprinkle the surface of the tiella with parmesan or grated pecorino and then with the breadcrumbs. Pour the water from one side of the baking pan gently until you get just below the gratin layer.

Bake in a hot oven at 200 degrees for 60 minutes, placing the tiella in the lower part of the oven. Your Tiella Barese tiella is ready to be tasted.