serves 6-8

This is one of the only dishes our auntie Antionetta can make! Still living in the family home in the old town of Bari (Bari vecchia), we of course visit her every time we go to Bari. We have such wonderful childhood memories from there – running through the old town, chatting to all the old ladies sitting outside their terraced houses, making the orechetti, going to the castle, eating massive slices of water melon and Zia Antionetta’s Patate, riso e cozze.

Sometimes known as Tiella Pugliese, it is a hearty casserole of mussels with rice and potatoes, something like a cross between paella and a potato gratin. Although it requires a few preparatory steps and then a layering of different ingredients, it is a remarkably easy dish to make—after it is assembled it almost cooks itself!

Like most traditional dishes, there are numerous variations of Patate, riso e cozze. But I do believe this is one of the simplest and the best – after all, Bari is the place where it was invented and that is where our family are, where they grew up and where I have collected all the recipes! The term ‘tiella’ is the terracotta dish/bowl in which the rice is cooked. As this dish requires layers, a deep dish is best – even if it is not made of terracotta.

1 kg potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½ cm rounds

1 kg black mussels – cleaned, hair removed and opened (only half with the mussel and the liquid from the mussels is required)

(ask your fishmonger very nicely to open them for you, otherwise, you may need to check this online)

250g rice (risotto or yellow rice is best)

450g tinned tomatoes - chopped

1 Courgette finely sliced

4 cloves of garlic – peeled and finely chopped

1 Bunch fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped

200g Pecorino or Parmesan cheese – grated

1 large onion finely chopped

Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Water

 

Heat your oven to 200

Let’s begin the layering!

We are aiming for 3 layers for this dish.

 

In your chosen baking dish/tiella, lay all of the finely chopped onion and cover with a good glug of extra virgin olive oil – so that the base is lightly covered

Add a layer – 1/3 of the sliced, raw potatoes on top of the chopped onion

Add 1/3 of the chopped parsley

½ tin of chopped tomatoes

Add ½ the chopped garlic

Season with black pepper

A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

½ the raw mussels

All of the rice

 

½ tin of chopped tomatoes

100g Pecorino or Parmesan cheese – grated

The rest of the chopped garlic

A little black pepper

A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Add 1/3 of the chopped parsley

½ of the sliced courgettes

Add the second layer of the sliced, raw potatoes

Sprinkle more of the Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Season with black pepper

A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

½ tin of chopped tomatoes

POUR OVER THIS LAYER, THE LIQUID FROM THE MUSSELS YOU HAVE KEPT ASIDE

 

Add the final 1/3 of the sliced, raw potatoes

Add 1/3 of the chopped parsley

A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Season with black pepper

Sprinkle the last of the Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Add the last of the sliced courgettes

 

From a jug, carefully pour in to your baking dish/tiella, sufficient water to just cover all the ingredients

Drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil

 

Bake in your pre-heated oven at 200 for approx. 90-120 minutes

Check the dish after an hour – see if you need to add any more water. You do not want the dish to be dry too early as the rice and potatoes will need the liquid in order to cook through.

 

When all the water has evaporated, when the potatoes and rice are cooked and when the top had turned a golden colour and has a crisp top – your Patate, riso e cozze is ready!

 

Place in the centre of the table and serve!

• Although not traditional, if you cannot find them, you can also simply buy shucked mussels and use them, without their shells.
• Wild mussels need to be soaked and trimmed but most mussels these days are raised in ‘farms’ and come ready to use.
• The potatoes should, be of yellow-fleshed or a ‘waxy’ variety.
• The main ‘trick‘ to a good Tiella Pugliese, is to season the dish adequately—more than you may think you need and to make sure that the rice is done to the right point, neither chalky nor mushy. You can test the rice by gently opening the top layer of potatoes and trying a few grains.
• Add a bit more water (or mussel juice) if you find the rice is not yet ready, or if the tiella is drying out too much—and continue cooking.