Place the mussels in a colander in the sink and run cold water over them.
Using a clean scrubbing brush rub off the mussels shells getting rid of any impurities.
Get rid of the hairy "beard" that sticks out of the shell, if it has one.
If you find any open shells, lightly tap that mussel against the side of the sink. If the mussel closes up again then it's alive. If it doesn't move, discard it.
Place a pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic and chilli flakes. Cook for 1-minute stirring occasionally to keep the garlic from burning.
Add the mussels, cover the pot with a lid and place it over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 mins. The shells should be open at this point.
Add the white wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates.
Squeeze in the lemon juice, add the lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Give the pot a good shake to combine everything together.
Sprinkle the chopped parsley on top and serve with slices of the rustic country loaf to soak into that delicious sauce.
Buon Apetito!
-
