Name: Spaghetti alle Vongole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 200g spaghetti; 500g fresh clams (scrubbed); 3 cloves garlic (thinly sliced); 100ml dry white wine; Handful flat-leaf parsley (roughly chopped); Extra virgin olive oil; Chilli flakes; Salt

Recipes

Spaghetti alle Vongole

By littlelane

A Neapolitan coastal classic and one of Italy's most beloved pasta dishes: fresh clams steamed open in white wine with garlic, parsley, and chilli, tossed through bronze-cut spaghetti. The briny clam juices become the sauce almost nothing else is needed. Cook pasta in well-salted water and use the starchy water generously to bind everything together. Ready in 25 minutes.

LL

Written by

littlelane

Ingredients list:

4 cloves of garlic
Handful of parsley (stems for infusing, tops for garnish)
Chili flakes (to taste)
As many clams as you want
White wine (to taste)
Spaghetti (200g)
Extra virgin olive oil
Pasta water (reserved)

Directions:

Difficulty: Medium
Feeds: 2 people
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Prep the Clams: Rinse under cold water and scrub the shells. Let them soak until needed.
Infuse the Oil: Heat olive oil in a shallow pan. Add parsley stems to infuse the oil, then remove the stems once fragrant.
Aromatics: Add minced garlic (minced using a microplane) and chili flakes to the infused oil, sauté gently until fragrant, being careful not to brown the garlic.
Cook the Pasta: Boil spaghetti until just before al dente.
Cook Clams: Toss the clams into the pan, and pour in enough white wine to cover the bottom. Let them cook until the clams open.
Combine: Add the pasta and reserved pasta water to the pan, stirring until it forms a glossy emulsion.
Finish & Serve: Toss in chopped parsley tops and serve immediately, garnishing with extra parsley for a fresh finish.