Mydia Saganaki

Mydia Saganaki (Greek Mussels with Feta)

A classic Aegean mezze of plump mussels steamed open in a garlicky tomato-and-ouzo sauce, finished with crumbled feta and a generous shower of fresh herbs. Serve bubbling in the pan with crusty bread to mop up every drop.

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4 as a mezze

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •1500 g (3¼ lb) fresh mussels, scrubbed, debearded, and debearded; discard any that are open and do not close when tapped
• •60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin Greek olive oil
• •1 large shallot, finely chopped, or ½ small red onion
• •4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• •1 small pinch Aleppo pepper or mild chili flakes, optional, for gentle heat
• •400 g (14 oz) canned crushed or chopped tomatoes, or 4 ripe fresh tomatoes, grated and peeled
• •1 tsp tomato paste, optional, deepens color
• •60 ml (¼ cup) ouzo, or dry white wine such as Assyrtiko or Sauvignon Blanc
• •5 g (⅓ cup loosely packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped; fennel fronds are a traditional Aegean alternative
• •100 g (3½ oz) Greek feta cheese, PDO or barrel-aged; crumbled from a single block, not pre-crumbled
• •1 wedge lemon, for serving
• •1 loaf crusty country bread, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Prepare the mussels: scrub well under cold running water, pull off the beards, and tap any open shells — discard those that do not close when tapped. Rinse a second time and drain.
2. 2 Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pan or traditional two-handled saganaki pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent.
3. 3 Add the sliced garlic and the Aleppo pepper (if using) and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant — do not brown.
4. 4 Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer gently for 5–7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly and lost its raw tomato edge. Season lightly with salt and a grind of black pepper.
5. 5 Pour in the ouzo (or white wine). Let it bubble for about 30 seconds to burn off the raw alcohol, scraping up any bits from the base of the pan.
6. 6 Tip the mussels into the pan, stir once to coat, cover tightly, and cook over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes. Shake the pan once or twice. The mussels are safely cooked when their shells have gaped open; any that remain firmly closed after cooking must be discarded.
7. 7 Remove the lid, scatter the feta in large chunks over the mussels, and sprinkle generously with the chopped parsley or fennel fronds.
8. 8 Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top, replace the lid briefly (about 30 seconds) just to warm the feta without melting it completely, then bring the pan straight to the table.
9. 9 Serve immediately from the pan with wedges of lemon and plenty of crusty bread to soak up the tomato-ouzo juices.