Spaghetti vongole
Spaghetti Vongole
Originally considered peasant food, this delicious clam dish
takes me back to my travels in Italy and the Dalmatian coast.
You can use any clams, although palourdes (carpet clams) are
traditional. Other than purging the shellfish to remove grit,
this is ten minute cooking so is perfect for a quick lunch with a
good glass of wine.
Ingredients
- 800g small carpet clams (palourdes), scrubbed
- 350g dried spaghetti
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 large red chilli, finely chopped
- 3 fat cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 125ml white wine
- 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- zest of ½ a lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
1. Rinse the clams well, then cover with cold well salted
water (aim for something close top sea water) for an
hour. Drain and rinse. 2. Put the spaghetti into a large pan of salted boiling water
and cook until al dente. 3. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil and half of the butter over
a medium heat then cook the shallot, garlic and chilli until softened and starting to turn translucent (2 - 3 minutes). 4. Add the clams and turn up the heat. Pour in the wine,
cover and leave for 4-5 minutes. Discard any clams that
remain closed. 5. Drain the spaghetti and add to the pan with the remaining butter. Toss well and leave for a minute, then stir
through the chopped parsley, lemon zest and juice. Season to taste. 6. Serve immediately with fresh bread to mop up the juices.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: Serves 4