Linguine alle Vongole

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to the boil. While it heats, rinse the clams under cold running water, discarding any that are cracked or that stay open when tapped. Scrub the shells well. Slice the garlic, chilli, and chop the parsley so everything is ready before you start cooking; this dish moves quickly once the clams hit the pan.

2. 2

   Salt the boiling water with the coarse salt and add the linguine. Cook for about 2 minutes less than the package suggests, until very al dente; it will finish in the clam sauce. Stir early so the strands do not stick.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, set a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the sliced garlic and chilli. Cook gently for 30-60 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and just turning pale gold; do not let it brown or it will taste bitter.

4. 4

   Add the clams to the pan and immediately pour in the white wine. Cover with a lid and cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until the clams open. Remove the pan from the heat, discard any clams that remain closed, and transfer a few opened clams to a bowl for garnish if you like.

5. 5

   Using tongs, transfer the nearly cooked linguine straight into the pan with the clams. Add about 100 ml pasta water and toss vigorously over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until the pasta is cooked through and lightly coated in a glossy emulsion of clam juices, wine, oil, and starch. If it looks dry, add a splash more pasta water; if too loose, keep tossing until it tightens.

6. 6

   Add most of the parsley, the fine sea salt only if needed, and the black pepper. Toss once more, tasting before adding extra salt because clams are naturally briny.

7. 7

   Twirl the linguine into warm bowls, spoon over the clams and sauce, and finish with the remaining parsley. Serve immediately while the pasta is glossy and the clams are hot.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •If possible, purge the clams in lightly salted cold water for 20-30 minutes before cooking if they were not already purged by the fishmonger; this extra time is not included in the cooking time.
• •Do not add cheese; traditional Linguine alle Vongole relies on the clean flavour of shellfish, garlic, wine, and olive oil.
• •A wide pan is important so the clams steam evenly and the pasta can be tossed properly into the sauce.
• •For a more intense clam flavour, remove half the clam meat from the shells after opening and return it to the pan before tossing with the pasta.

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