Spaghetti alle Vongole - Spaghetti with clams
- mammalina3
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
An old Italian classic and a true family favourite – simple, elegant and so delicious! This timeless dish from the coast of southern Italy is always a winner - perfect for seafood lovers and special dinners alike.
Ingredients (serves 2)
500g fresh clams, thoroughly cleaned (see tip below)
½ bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, bashed
100g cherry tomatoes, halved
½ lemon
1 large glass of dry white wine
200g dried spaghetti (or linguine)
Extra virgin olive oil
1–2 dried red chillies (or fresh chilli)
Freshly ground black pepper
How to clean clams
Rinse clams thoroughly under cold water, scrubbing if needed. Discard any that are cracked or remain open when tapped.
Method
In a large, deep frying pan with a lid, heat a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Add the garlic and chilli, and sauté over moderate heat for about 1½ minutes, until the garlic is just golden.
Turn up the heat, add the clams, give everything a quick stir, and cover with the lid.
As the clams begin to open, pour in the white wine. Stir, then cover again and allow to simmer for approx. 5 minutes, or until all the clams have opened. Discard any that stay shut.
Add the lemon juice, half of the chopped parsley, and the halved cherry tomatoes. Season with black pepper, stir, and cover again briefly.
Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti until “al dente” in salted boiling water.
Remove the clams from the pan and set aside in a bowl (this helps avoid too many empty shells while tossing the pasta). Strain and reserve the clams cooking liquid.
Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the clams juices, tossing over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until the pasta absorbs the flavourful broth.
Return the clams to the pan, toss everything gently to combine. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and scatter over the remaining fresh parsley. Serve immediately – and don’t forget some crusty bread to mop up the sauce!
