Italian mussel soup (Zuppa di cozze)

1. Scrub the mussels thoroughly under cold water, remove the “beards” and discard broken mussels and open ones that do not close when tapped; halve the cherry tomatoes and thinly slice 3 garlic cloves.

2. In a large, wide saucepan with a lid, cook the garlic and chilli flakes in the olive oil for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until they start to break down.

3. Tip in the mussels, pour in the white wine, cover and cook over high heat for 4-6 minutes, shaking the pan now and then, until the mussels open.

4. Discard any that stay closed; taste the broth (mussels are salty, so it usually needs no salt), season with pepper and sprinkle with most of the parsley.

5. Meanwhile, toast the bread slices and rub them with the remaining garlic clove.

6. Put the toast in deep plates, ladle the mussels and their broth on top and serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley.

Tip: Smell the mussels when buying: they should smell of the sea, not of fish; do not eat mussels that remain closed after cooking; remaining closed alone does not establish whether they were alive before cooking.