Spaghetti alle Vongole — Print Recipe

A beloved Neapolitan pasta dish of spaghetti tossed with fresh clams, garlic, white wine, and parsley. The bianco version without tomatoes lets the briny sweetness of the clams shine through.

Ingredients

400g spaghetti
1kg fresh clams, scrubbed clean
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
150ml dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1 Soak the clams in cold salted water for thirty minutes to purge any sand, then scrub them under running water and discard any that are open.
2 Heat olive oil in a wide deep skillet over medium heat, add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for one minute until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
3 Pour in the white wine and add the clams, then cover the skillet and cook for five to seven minutes, shaking occasionally, until all the clams have opened.
4 Meanwhile cook the spaghetti in heavily salted boiling water until two minutes short of al dente, then drain and add the pasta directly to the skillet with the clams.
5 Toss the spaghetti with the clam sauce over medium heat for two minutes to finish cooking and absorb the flavors, then serve immediately garnished with fresh parsley.

Did You Know?

In Naples, it is considered bad luck to add cheese to any seafood pasta, so never sprinkle Parmesan on spaghetti alle vongole if you want to eat like a true Neapolitan.