Mussels in Black Pepper and White Wine Sauce (Impepata di Cozze)

Ingredients

• 4 lbs mussels scrubbed
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil or more if needed
• 3/4 cup white wine or more if needed
• 1 clove garlic whole
• 3/4 cup Italian parsley finely minced
• Sea salt to taste
• ground black pepper lots

Instructions

1. In a large stock pot, sauté garlic in the olive oil. After a few minutes, add white wine and let alcohol evaporate.
2. Add the mussels and cook, covered, until they open. Never stir mussels, but shake the pot instead.
3. After 5-6 minutes the mussels should be open. Add a pinch or two of salt, and sprinkle with parsley and lots, lots of black pepper.
4. Serve immediately with crostini bread (ciabatta bread or paesano are ideal) that you have baked in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil. (See notes).
5. Discard the mussels that have not opened.