This is a traditional recipe from Apulia, in Southern Italy, mixing rice, vegetables and seafood (mussels). Rice based recipes are to be found in all Mediterranean Countries: Paella (Spain), rice stuffed cabbage (Balkans) or vine leaves (Greece, Turkey), with different cooking methods and characteristic ingredients that distinguish one version from the other.

1. Open the mussels (raw, by separating the two shells, or cooking them very briefly with no oil nor water so that the shells open), keeping one shell attached to the mussel; keep the liquid -in either method-.
2. In a deep (terracotta) pan, oiled, make layers alternating the ingredients as follows: fresh onion rings (most version only have one layer of onions); potatoes, peeled, cut in thin slices; tomatoes, in thin slices; mussels, with the shell down; rice (raw) to cover the entire layer. Start again with potatoes, tomatoes. In between you can season each layer with salt, (pepper), chopped parsley and garlic.
3. Pour the mussels liquid, filtered, just until below the last layer (if you need, add some water): it shouldn’t damp the topping that you still need to add.

Crumble topping: cover the surface with breadcrumbs mixed with parsley, (garlic) and grated pecorino (or parmigiano) cheese. Sprinkle with olive oil and cook in the oven for about one hour (200°) until the crumble is crispy.