Spaghetti alle Vongole
Al dente long pasta tossed in a clean, light sauce of garlic, dry white wine, and a kick of chili flakes, letting the fresh clams steal the show with pure coastal flavor.
35 min
Medium
Italiana
2 servings
The story behind
This dish sweeps me right back to a gorgeous summer spent exploring the coast of Puglia. After spending the entire morning wandering along the beach, we found a little wooden deck restaurant hanging over the water. The chef brought out this pasta steaming hot, and the incredible scent of the reduced white wine combined with the salty ocean breeze was unforgettable. It feels like the ultimate mid-day lunch when the weather is warm and you just want to slow down. Make sure to have plenty of crusty bread handy to soak up that beautiful broth at the bottom of your bowl, and a chilled glass of crisp Pinot Grigio hits the absolute sweet spot with this meal.
Instructions
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1Soak the clams in a bowl of cold salted water for about 30 minutes to encourage them to purge any residual sand. Rinse them thoroughly under running water, discarding any with cracked shells or those that stay open when tapped.
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2Drop the spaghetti into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook it until it is just shy of al dente (about a minute less than package directions), as it will finish cooking directly in the sauce pan.
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3While the pasta boils, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking gently for about a minute to infuse the oil without letting the garlic color.
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4Turn the heat up to high, add the clean clams, and immediately pour in the white wine. Cover with a tight lid and let them steam for 4 to 5 minutes until the shells pop open.
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5Uncover the skillet and discard any clams that remained closed. Transfer the cooked spaghetti straight into the skillet, tossing in a splash of the pasta cooking water and half of the chopped parsley.
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6Swirl and toss everything vigorously over high heat for a minute, allowing the pasta starch to meld with the briny clam juices into a glossy, light coating. Divide into bowls, top with the remaining parsley, and garnish with lemon wedges.
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