Bar Alto’s pot of sweet, succulent mussels, complete with a chilli-sparked tomato broth will cause a riot – the good kind – at your dining table. After the mussel-eating is done, mop up the sauce with grilled ciabatta for a roaring good time.
1.Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Make a small cross incision on the base of each tomato and blanch until skin starts to peel off (30-40 seconds), then place in iced water, peel off skin and coarsely chop tomatoes, discarding seeds.
2.Combine extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and chilli in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mussels and wine, cover with a lid and shake occasionally until mussels open (2-3 minutes). Strain, reserving liquid, and arrange mussels on a platter. Return liquid to saucepan over high heat, add chopped tomato and canned polpa, and bring to the boil. Add herbs, then pour over mussels. Season to taste, scatter with extra herbs and serve with toasted ciabatta.
