Cesarina Monica's Potato, Rice, and Mussels Tiella

Discovering an ancient dish that tells the story of Bari

06/07/2025

It is one of the most iconic dishes of Puglia, competing for the top spot in fame alongside orecchiette with turnip greens and pasticciotto. We are talking about tiella with potatoes, rice, and mussels—a symphony of flavors born from an ancient recipe, now commonly served as a one-dish meal. Though its name may vary (some call it "tiella barese with potatoes, rice, and mussels," others "tiella with rice, potatoes, and mussels"), some key elements remain unchanged. First, the ingredients are layered raw in a clay or metal baking dish, the tiella. Second, pecorino cheese, onions, and parsley are essential. In the past, tiella was also a sign of a family's economic status: the more mussels it contained, the wealthier the household. Poorer families often made it with just rice and potatoes. Today, we follow the recipe of our Cesarina Monica, who comes from Bari, the city where tiella is a true gastronomic symbol.

“Tiella is the Sunday dish that fills homes and the old town’s alleys with its aroma. You haven't truly been to Bari if you haven't tasted our tiella”.

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Potato, Rice, and Mussels Tiella

A fusion of authentic flavors that follow each other layer by layer

DifficultyMedium

Preparation time30m

Cooking time45m

Ingredients

300 g of rice
5 large potatoes
1 white onion
1 garlic clove
10 cherry tomatoes
500 g of mussels on the half shell
50 g of Pecorino Romano cheese
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Parsley to taste

Method

Peel and slice the potatoes into 3 mm thick rounds, then place them in a bowl with water. In another bowl, soak the rice.
Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes, and a bunch of parsley, then set them aside on a plate.
Grease the baking dish and create a layer of potato slices. Season with the prepared mix, add salt and pepper, sprinkle with some Pecorino, and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Now, add a layer of mussels (the open side facing up), then half of the rice, a bit of the mix, Pecorino, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat the layering process with the potatoes.
Finish with a final layer of potatoes, seasoning with salt, pepper, Pecorino, and olive oil.
From a corner of the baking dish, pour in the starchy rice water until it reaches 2 cm from the edge.
Bake in a static oven at 200°C for about 45 minutes.
Let the tiella rest for 30 minutes before serving—this will help the flavors blend and make it even more delicious and irresistible.