Instructions: Clean the mussels very thoroughly under cold running water.

Scrub well with a stiff brush and scrape off any barnacles.

Discard any that are open or have cracked or broken shells.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan add the garlic slivers and cook gently until light brown.

Add half the basil leaves and the tomatoes and cook stirring over a fierce heat until the tomatoes break up and reduce to a thick sauce.

This should take about 15 minutes if the tomatoes are ripe.

If the tomatoes are unripe they will be less juicy so add some of the reserved tomato juices.

In another large heavy saucepan fry the chopped garlic in the remaining olive oil until light brown then add the mussels and a few basil leaves and the remaining tomato juice about 750ml.

Cover with a tight fitting lid shake and cook over a high heat until the mussels are open (discard any that remain closed).

You may need to do this in batches; divide the other ingredients accordingly.

Leave to cool and then remove all the mussels from their shells.

Add the mussels to the tomato sauce with the rest of the basil and season with sea salt and black pepper.

To make the bruschetta toast the bread on boh dies then rub with the garlic.

Serve the soup in flat open dishes with the bruschetta and a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 6

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