Naples on a plate. Fresh clams, garlic, olive oil, white wine, parsley. NO cream. NO cheese. The clams' brine is the only seasoning you need.
Spaghetti alle Vongole
Naples on a plate. Fresh clams, garlic, olive oil, white wine, parsley. NO cream. NO cheese. The clams’ brine is the only seasoning you need.
Ingredients
Method
- Purge the clams: scrub clean, then soak in cold salted water 30 minutes (a tablespoon of cornmeal helps them “spit” out grit). Discard any that won’t close when tapped.
- Bring a big pot of well-salted water to a boil. Drop in the spaghetti.
- While pasta cooks: heat the olive oil in a wide deep skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and chili. Cook gently 2 minutes — pale gold, never brown.
- Add the clams and white wine. Cover immediately. Cook 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan, until the clams open. Discard any that don’t open.
- Strain the clam liquid through a fine sieve back into the pan to catch grit. Optional: shell half the clams to make eating easier; leave half in shells for presentation.
- When pasta is 1 minute underdone, drain (saving pasta water). Add to the skillet with the clams. Toss for 1 minute, adding a splash of pasta water — the starch + clam juice + olive oil form a glossy sauce that coats every strand.
- Off heat, scatter the parsley. Toss once. Plate immediately.
Notes
NO cheese. Italians will riot. The tradition is olive oil + brine — anything else muddies it. Start your pasta water before the clams open — timing is everything in this dish.