This classic spaghetti alle vongole is the perfect dinner for seafood lovers
Spaghetti alle Vongole is a classic Italian pasta dish with its name literally meaning spaghetti with clams. Originating in Naples, the coastal city famously boasts quality fresh seafood often prepared with simplicity by the locals. The first known recipe of spaghetti alle vongole was first published in the well-known cookbook Cucina Teorico-practica by Ippolito Cavalcanti in 1839! Only five ingredients were included initially - clams, pasta, garlic, olive oil, and parsley. The recipe below is my adaptation with a few added ingredients.
To make my vongole, I used the Anolon Endurance+ stockpot with the bonus pasta insert. To boil the pasta, I filled the stockpot with water and introduced the pasta insert, which fits snugly inside. I was very pleased when the water came to a boil swiftly, and I was able to easily remove the pasta insert when the pasta was cooked. Additionally, thanks to Anolon's non-stick coating, I was able to speedily use the pot again after a simple rinse of the pot's interior. Then, when it came time to sauté the ingredients, the non-stick surface also ensured the contents of the pot could slide effortlessly along the base without burning. The benefit of the thick aluminium base is that the even heat distribution protects the ingredients and seals in flavours.
I am also a fan of any pot or pan with a lid such as the one on this Anolon pot. Having a lid means you can bring water to a boil faster and explore more cooking options with the ability to seal in heat effectively. Also, you can steam, poach, keep food warm and store food in the refrigerator in the same pot when it has a lid! This makes the Anolon also perfect for stocks, soups, stews or boiling large quantities of vegetables such as potatoes or corn.
Now, a bit about clams. Clams are the same as pipis and can even be called cockles – what you call them will depend on where you live. Clams come in many shapes and sizes. Most frozen clams that you buy are generally already scrubbed and cleaned - frozen is fine if it is convenient for you and you have defrosted them. As always, the fresher the clams, the better. If you are lucky enough to get a hold of fresh ones, you may need to rest them in cold water and give them a scrub yourself to filter out the sand and remove unwanted grit. If any clams refuse to open, throw them out as the clam has probably died and its shell could be full of sand. The Anolon pot with the pasta insert would be the perfect place to do this. Your clams will easily pop out of the water in the pot, and the sand would easily strain through the insert, leaving you with cleaned pipis!
Some vongole pasta cooking myths busted:
Do you add salt to your cooking water?
Yes, seasoning the pasta water is the only way you can get the salt to stick to your pasta properly.
Do you add oil to your pasta water?
I don’t, it is said that the oil repels the sauce from sticking to your pasta properly, resulting in a weaker flavour. Particularly in this recipe, it would be important not to risk this as it counts on the simplicity of the sea brine and white wine flavours to shine.
What temperature should pasta water be?
The water should always be at a rolling boil to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Can vongole be eaten the next day?
I would advise for it to be eaten immediately. This is when the flavour will be at its finest and the clam’s texture won’t be rubbery.
Spaghetti Alle Vongole Recipe
Ingredients
- 500gm fresh spaghetti
- 1kg clams (cleaned)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
- 2 red chilli’s
- 300ml white wine
- 1 lemon
- Half a bunch flat leaf parsley
- 4 tbsp EVOO
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
- Parmesan to garnish
Method
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add in a pinch of salt along with your pasta, cooking until al dente and strain.
2. Sort through your clams and make sure they are all clean; discard any cracked or dirty-looking ones.
3. Peel and dice garlic; slice chilli and parsley.
4. Add the olive oil to a large pan or pot with a lid, add the garlic, chilli and tomatoes along with a good amount of salt and black pepper, constantly moving the ingredients to sauté (this will ensure you don’t burn the garlic).
5. Once tomatoes are blistering, add the clams to the pan and pour in your wine immediately after. Give the pan a shake to make sure the wine gets in every nook of the clams.
6. Add the lid to the pan and steam for 3-4 minutes or until the clams are all open. Remove from the heat and discard any unopened ones.
7. Strain your pasta and quickly add it to the pan along with your fresh parsley, a good glug of EVOO and the juice of the lemon; gently twist all the flavour through the dish using your tongs.
8. Microplane fresh parmesan cheese and an extra sprinkle of parsley or chilli on top. Serve immediately.
Next Read: Red Wine Fettucine
