Spaghetti Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams)
Another simple masterpiece inspired, of course, by that wonderful combination of the ocean and Italians. Spaghetti vongole, literally spaghetti with clams, is a classic Italian food and one of my favorite pasta dishes.
Unfortunately, I have been to countless Italian restaurants where the spaghetti vongole was really left wanting.
I’ve had it with more sand than the local beach, enough raw garlic to see off a vampire, and, God forbid, with added cream.
Follow the recipe below to the letter and you will end up with a spaghetti vongole better than most places in town. Enjoy!
Spaghetti Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams)
Ingredients
- 750 grams fresh clams (vongole)
- 500 grams spaghetti
- 5 cloves garlic
- A few sprigs of flat leaf parsley
- 2 red bird's eye chilis
- 2 lemons
- Extra virgin olive oil
- White wine
- Sea salt flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the clams in a strainer and rest it over a large mixing bowl. With the clams completely submerged, run cold water over them for about 10 minutes.
- Lift the clams out of the water and you should find a fair bit of sand in the bottom of the bowl.
- Cook the pasta until al’dente and rinse until cold.
- Arrange 4 serving plates or bowls.
- Place a pot of boiling salted water to boil.
- Sauté the garlic in a liberal amount of olive oil for about a minute and add the chili.
- Once the garlic is very lightly browned, immediately remove all the contents of the pan and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Wipe the pan clean and return to the heat.
- Add the clams and a splash of wine.
- Keep the pan moving and as soon as the clams open, remove and place them in the bowl of garlic one at a time with some tongs.
- Once all the clams are ready, plunge the pasta back into the water.
- While the pasta warms up, place the pan back on the heat, add the clams and garlic, sprinkle with chopped parley and more olive oil if needed, and add a splash of white wine.
- Drain the pasta, taste for one last final seasoning, combine everything together, and toss with the juice of one or two lemons. Serve garnished with a little more parsley.
- Enjoy with crusty white bread and a glass of chilled white.
- This dish is quite versatile and goes with sweeter whites as well as with drier varieties.
Notes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Related: Shrimp Pasta Salad
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Related: Spaghetti Amatriciana
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