Instructions: Combine oil, garlic, green pepper, onion, red pepper flakes and parsley in 8-quart pot. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add wine, clam juice, tomato puree, whole tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, oregano and dried basil. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Turn heat to medium-high and add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels pop open, 3 to 5 minutes.

Pile mussels into 8 soup bowls with some of broth. (Discard any mussels that do not open.) Top with fresh basil leaves just before serving.

This recipe yields 8 appetizer servings.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.