There are few pasta dishes more evocative of a specific place than Spaghetti alle Vongole. Eat it for the first time at a table overlooking the sea in Naples or along the Amalfi Coast and it will imprint itself on your culinary memory forever — the briny, sweet clams, the brightness of the white wine, the perfume of the garlic and parsley, the silky spaghetti. It tastes entirely and completely of the sea and of Southern Italy.

The dish exists in two versions in Italy — in bianco (white, without tomato) and in rosso (red, with tomato). The white version is considered by many to be the superior preparation as it allows the pure flavour of the clams to shine without competition. This recipe follows the white version, though a handful of cherry tomatoes added with the white wine is a beautiful and commonly made variation.

The most important technical consideration with this dish is the clams themselves. They must be alive when you buy them and properly purged of any sand before cooking. There is nothing worse than a sandy vongole — it ruins the entire experience. Soaking them in cold salted water for at least an hour before cooking allows them to expel any grit or sand they have ingested. This step cannot be rushed.

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Recipe by By butter u0026 berriesCourse: Uncategorized

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

Ingredients

• •t200g spaghetti or linguine

• •t1kg fresh clams (vongole veraci if available), scrubbed under cold water

• •tCold salted water for soaking (1 litre water + 30g salt)

• •t5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• •t200ml dry white wine (use something you would drink — quality matters)

• •t1/2 tsp chilli flakes

• •t5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (your very best)

• •tLarge handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

• •tSalt and freshly cracked black pepper

• •tOptional: 150g cherry tomatoes halved (for the rosso variation)

Directions

• At least 1 hour before cooking, place the cleaned clams in a large bowl of cold salted water. The salt concentration should approximate seawater — approximately 30g per litre. Leave for 1 hour minimum, changing the water once if possible. This purges any sand or grit from inside the shells. Drain and rinse thoroughly.
• Inspect all the clams. Discard any that are broken. Any open clams that do not close firmly when tapped sharply on a hard surface should also be discarded — they are dead and not safe to eat.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Begin cooking the spaghetti. It should be drained approximately 2 minutes before reaching al dente as it will finish cooking in the clam sauce.
• While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large wide pan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes. Cook very gently for 1-2 minutes — the garlic should become translucent and golden but absolutely not brown. Burnt garlic will make the dish bitter and unpleasant.
• Increase heat to high. Add the drained clams and white wine in one movement. Cover immediately with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until all the clams have opened. Discard any clams that remain firmly closed after 5 minutes — they are also not safe to eat.
• Add the almost-cooked, drained spaghetti directly to the clam pan. Add a good splash of the starchy pasta cooking water. Toss vigorously over high heat for 1-2 minutes until the spaghetti is perfectly al dente and the sauce has emulsified slightly and coats the pasta.
• Remove from heat. Add the fresh parsley and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss once more. Taste — the clam cooking liquid provides most of the salt but you may need a small amount more. Serve immediately.

Notes

• The soaking step is mandatory. Do not skip it or abbreviate it. Sandy clams are completely unpleasant and ruin the experience of the dish entirely.
  The clam cooking liquid is the sauce. It is briny, sweet, and deeply flavoured. Do not add additional salt until you have tasted the final dish — you may need very little.
  Never serve clams that have not opened. This is a food safety rule, not a suggestion.
  The quality of the olive oil matters enormously in a dish this simple. Use your best bottle. Its flavour will be clearly perceptible.
  No Parmesan. This is the most emphatic application of the Italian rule about cheese and seafood. The cheese would completely overpower the delicate, briny sweetness of the clams.
  Add the pasta to the clam pan rather than adding the clams to the pasta. This allows the pasta to finish cooking in the clam liquid and absorb all of its flavour.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 kcal   |   Protein: 26g   |   Carbs: 66g   |   Fat: 12g   |   Fiber: 3g

Storage

This dish must be eaten immediately upon making. Clams do not reheat and should not be kept once cooked. The pasta will continue absorbing the sauce and become mushy. Make only as much as you will eat at one sitting. The dish takes under 30 minutes once the clams are soaked so there is no reason to make it in advance.

Serving Tips

Serve in wide warm bowls — large enough that the clams in their shells can be arranged attractively. The presentation is part of the experience. Provide a small bowl for empty shells at the table. Crusty sourdough or ciabatta is essential for absorbing the remaining broth. The wine pairing is non-negotiable: a chilled Falanghina from Campania is the traditional choice. A Vermentino di Sardegna or a Greco di Tufo are equally excellent alternatives.

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