Cozze alla Tarantina: The Briny, Fiery Mussels of Puglia

Scrub the mussels under cold running water. Pull off the beards by gripping them and tugging firmly toward the hinge. Discard any mussels that are open and do not close when tapped on the counter.

Set a large pot over high heat. Pour in the white wine and bring to a boil. Add all the mussels at once, cover tightly, and cook for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pot once halfway through, until the shells open.

Remove from heat. Use tongs to transfer the opened mussels to a large bowl; discard any that have not opened. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate bowl and reserve — this is the sauce's backbone.

Slice the garlic thinly. Crumble the peperoncino, discarding seeds if you want less heat, or leave it whole and fish it out at the end.

In a wide, deep pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and peperoncino and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the garlic turns pale gold. Do not let it brown.

Crush the canned tomatoes by hand directly into the pan. Pour in the reserved mussel liquor. Stir and cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until the sauce has reduced slightly but is still brothy and loose — not thick.

Stir in the olives and capers if using. Taste the sauce; it will likely need little or no added salt given the brine from the mussels and olives. Simmer 1 minute.

Add the mussels back to the pan. Gently fold them into the sauce, cover, and heat for 1–2 minutes maximum — just until warmed through. Overcooking at this stage makes them rubbery.

Scatter chopped parsley over the top. Serve immediately in deep bowls with crusty bread alongside for mopping up the broth.