Spaghetti alle Vongole
Cooking Time:
30 mins
Level:
Medium
A classic Italian clam pasta made with fresh clams, garlic, white wine, parsley, olive oil, and spaghetti. The key to this dish is to clean the clams well and keep the clam juice clean, so the pasta can absorb all the delicate seafood flavour.
Ingredients
- 160g spaghetti
- 700–800g fresh clams
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or thinly sliced
- 4–5 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup white wine or sparkling wine
- 1 large handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2–3 tbsp olive oil
- Black pepper, to taste
- Salt, for soaking the clams and cooking the pasta
- A little extra olive oil, for serving
Serves
2 people
Clean and Check the Clams
1. Soak the clams
Place the clams in salted water and let them soak for 4–5 hours so they can release sand.
2. Rinse them well
Drain the soaking water. Rub the clams lightly with a little salt, then rinse them several times under cold water.
3. Check them carefully
Check the clams before cooking. If needed, drop a few clams at a time into a bowl to see if any release sand or seem bad. Discard any damaged or suspicious ones. One sandy clam can spoil the whole dish.
Cook the Spaghetti
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, according to the packet instructions, usually about 8–10 minutes.
Steam the Clams
In a wide pan or wok, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and 4–5 cherry tomatoes. Then add the clams, a little black pepper, some chopped parsley, and the white wine. Cover with a lid and let the clams steam for a few minutes, until they open.
Save the Clam Juice and Toss with Pasta
Remove the opened clams and set them aside. Discard any clams that stay closed. Pour the clam juice into a bowl, leaving the sandy last bit behind. Let it settle if needed, then pour the clean juice back into the pan. Add the cooked spaghetti and toss gently so the pasta absorbs the flavour.
Finish with Clams and Parsley
Return the clams to the pan. Add more chopped parsley and toss gently over low heat. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil and serve immediately.
Angelina’s Note
This is the kind of clam pasta I like most — simple, light, and very Italian in spirit. The flavour should come mainly from the clams, garlic, parsley, and wine. The tomatoes are only there to add a little sweetness and colour, not to turn it into a tomato pasta.