Cozze con bruschetta in tegame

Tuscany
Preparation - Medium
Serves 4 - 6

You can use mussels, small clams or both in this deliciously satisfying soup, served in individual bowls. One more way to use up leftover bread. Serve it with a green salad and some extra toasted bread and there you have it.

4 lbs clams or mussels
4 cloves garlic, halved
6 T extra virgin olive oil
4 T tomato paste (optional)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 t crushed oregano, or 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
2 slices Italian style country bread per person, 1 inch thick, toasted

Clean shellfish, discard any broken or open ones.
Place water to a depth of 1/2 an inch in a heavy pan.
Bring to a boil.
Drop mussels in and cover steaming them open over very high heat.
Remove from pan, discarding any that are still closed. Place in a warm bowl.
Reserve the liquid and strain through cheesecloth to catch any sand that might have been released by mussels.
Toast the bread.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and lightly brown the garlic.
Add the tomato paste stirring with a wooden spoon and sprinkle on the oregano.
Cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
Add the wine, the liquid released from the mussels as well as a few grinds of the pepper mill. Simmer gently for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the mussels and heat through.
Brush the bread with a clove of garlic and place in individual bowls.
Ladle the soup over the bread.
Sprinkle with parsley if you wish.

Can be prepared without the tomato. Brown garlic and add liquids then the mussels.