Spaghetti alle Vongole

Method

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1. Purge the clams in heavily salted cold water for an hour, changing it twice. Discard any that stay open when tapped.

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2. Warm half the olive oil with half the garlic in a lidded pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the clams and the wine and cover.

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3. Steam for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan, until the shells open. Lift them out as they do and discard any that stay shut.

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4. Strain the cooking liquor through muslin to remove grit and reserve it. There is always grit.

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5. Pick the meat from two-thirds of the clams, leaving the rest in their shells for serving.

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6. Cook the spaghetti until 2 minutes short of al dente, reserving 250 ml of water.

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7. Meanwhile warm the remaining oil and garlic with the peperoncino in a wide pan until pale gold, then add the strained clam liquor and bring to a simmer.

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8. Add the drained spaghetti and toss hard for 2 minutes, adding pasta water, until the sauce turns glossy and clings.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

9. Fold through all the clams and the parsley, season with pepper, and serve at once.

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Chef’s Tips

• Strain the liquor. One gritty mouthful ruins the plate.
• No cheese with seafood pasta — a rule worth keeping here.
• A splash of the pasta water at the very end is usually what turns a thin sauce creamy.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• A Vermentino or Greco di Tufo
• Serve with bread to mop the bowl
• Follow with a lemon granita

Storage & Reheating

Eat immediately. Cooked clams toughen on reheating and the emulsion breaks.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.