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1
Open the cleaned mussels by steaming them in a large, covered pot. Set aside the liquid for use in the tomato sauce.
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2
In a large pot, prepare the tomato sauce by gently sauteeing one of the garlic cloves, smashed or sliced, in some olive oil until aromatic and soft. Add the can of tomato plus a splash of water and the liquid from the mussels. Turn up the heat until it comes to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes or until reduced slightly then take off the heat, add the parsley and set aside.
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3
Prepare the stuffing mixture by combining the other garlic clove, chopped finely, the breadcrumbs, the stale bread (squeezed of excess liquid and crumbled into the bowl), the pecorino and eggs. It shouldn't be too solid, but rather a wet mixture. You can add a bit of water to loosen if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
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4
Fill the opened mussel shells with a spoonful of mixture, then close them, wrapping some kitchen string around them to keep them shut. Once they are all filled, add them to the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Make sure you are using a pot large enough to fit the mussels and deep enough to that the mussels are all submerged in the sauce (if needed, top up with water). Cook the mussels again for about 15 minutes.
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5
Serve as is, with a sharp knife to cut the strings, or remove the mussels from the sauce and serve the sauce with pasta and the mussels separately.
