INGREDIENTS
- 250 g. of rice (I use Carnaroli),
- 500 g of potatoes;
- 1 kg. of mussels;
- Parsley;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- Chili;
- Cherry tomatoes;
- 100 g of pecorino cheese;
- Sliced onion;
- Extra virgin olive oil and pepper
STEP
- Wash and brush the mussels well, then open them raw with a knife and keep the liquid aside which we will filter;
- Take a low baking pan, pour in the oil, then add the cherry tomatoes cut into pieces, the onion cut into thin slices, the potatoes cut into thin slices (arrange them in a radial pattern), then add the mussels opened in half, the raw rice, covering the mussels well, the parsley, chilli pepper (if you like) and the chopped garlic (optional) and grated cheese;
- Repeat the seasoning with all the ingredients creating two layers and completing with the layer of potatoes;
- Finally, on the edge, add the warm water until it reaches a finger above the preparation, also add the filtered water from the mussels;
- Then add a little more oil, before putting it in the oven, bring the prepared pan to the boil on the gas and then transfer it to the oven;
- Cook at 190 degrees, for 40-45 minutes covered with baking paper, then remove it 10 minutes before to brown, until all the water has dried up;
- Bake, plate and serve hot… a truly excellent preparation!!
NOTE
Tiella barese can be stored for a day in the refrigerator, covered. Before serving, reheat it for a few minutes in the oven.
To prepare tiella barese, you can use either parmesan, which is more delicate, or pecorino romano, which is more flavorful, depending on your tastes. If you are unable to open mussels raw, as the Apulian tradition requires, you can make an exception to the rule: open the mussels in a pan for just 2 minutes and shell them, always keeping the mollusc in a single valve. Collect the water that has formed and proceed with the recipe.
