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Holy Thursday: A Recipe for Mussel Stew

Kristin Melia

In Naples, Holy Thursday is a time of fasting. And what does fasting mean? No meat. And what does no meat mean? Seafood! Mussels to be precise.  In some sort of strange Roman Catholic loophole, we manage to still overstuff ourselves even when we are fasting in Naples.  As long as we are not eating meat, it is still counts as deprivation.  Ramadan Holy Thursday is not.

On the Thursday before Easter, Zuppa di Cozze (mussel stew) is essential. The recipe is simple. Steam mussels in a tomato garlic sauce and drizzle with super spicy hot pepper oil.  In the South of Italy, we call hot pepper oil Olio Santo (Holy Oil).  It’s not really holy but we call it that for two reasons.  One, because the excellent olive oil used in hot pepper oil it is the same quality as used in religious rituals. Secondly, the process by which hot pepper macerates in the extra virgin olive oil is called “sanctification” in Italian. 

There you have it. Hot pepper oil is holy in Southern Italy. And we principally enjoy it on Holy Thursday. If only all religious rites could be that easy.  The other important component of the Zuppa di Cozze is crostini.  You must absolutely have toasted bread to mop up all of those delicious mussel juices.  There is no point having mussels without bread. I am pretty sure that mussels without bread on Holy Thursday might be a cardinal sin.  Ketogenics beware. 

Zuppa di Cozze Recipe

Serves Four

Olio Santo Hot Pepper Oil

Ingredients

  • 1 pint sterilized Mason jar

  • 1 oz dried whole chili di arbols

  • High Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

  1. Place whole chilis to fill half of Mason jar

  2. Cover completely with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  3. Seal Mason Jar

  4. Place in Pantry for at least one week and for up to 1 year (the longer it rests the stronger it gets)

  5. You now have Olio Santo

Crostini

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf crusty peasant bread

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil

  • 1 peeled garlic clove

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 Fahrenheit

  2. Cut bread into generously thick slices (about 1/2 inch)

  3. Paint each slice with olive oil

  4. Toast in oven until golden (about 10 minutes)

  5. Rub with garlic clove

Mussels

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil over medium in a Dutch oven

  2. Add garlic cloves, swirling around to soften and release aroma (no more than one minute or they will singe and ruin your sauce)

  3. Add whole tomatoes and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon until sauce slightly thickens (10 minutes)

  4. Add mussels, coating with tomato sauce, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes

  5. Discard any mussels that did not open

  6. Add parsley and stir to coat mussels

  7. Place crostini at the bottom of wide shallow bowls

  8. Ladle mussels into bowls

  9. Drizzle with Olio Santo and garnish with additional parsley

  10. Serve immediately with additional crostini

 Happy Holy Thursday!