Know what I love about traditional Italian dishes such as this one?
How simply, just a few ingredients come together to make a dish so intensely flavorful and visually stunning.
This pasta is one of the most famous and popular dishes of the Neapolitan culinary tradition and is served in every corner of the globe though perhaps best savored in Naples, overlooking the sea in a small village, watching the sunset?
...sigh...
For now, I must be content serving this at home, on a weeknight in celebration of the boys first day back at school. You may think that clams are a funny choice as a kids meal and you may be right except for the fact that my boys quite enjoy the drama of forking each clam out of it's shell.
And as a mum, who am I to complain? No doubt, it's the excellent bottle of Villa Maria, Cabernet Sauvignon from New Zealand that has done much to lighten my spirits. I simply cannot get enough of it's citrusy notes and though I open a bottle (for the recipe of course) it's not long before I've chugged down a glass even before I've even headed for the stove.
A lovely broth made all the more briny by the uber-fresh clams, some excellent olive oil, loaded with chopped garlic, a good chug of wine and fresh parsley not to mention the spaghetti cooked al dente, makes up this excellent meal.
Apparently in Naples, it's quite the holiday tradition especially on Christmas eve and New Year's day.
But I for one see no reason to wait for the holidays to enjoy a meal this good. And in my humble opinion, neither should you.
Gather the ingredients,2-1/2 lbs little neck clams, scrubbed clean, water for soaking clams, 2 tbs corn meal to remove excess sand, 1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil, 1 small yellow onion or 2 shallots (to yield 1/2 cup finely chopped), 8 garlic cloves, peeled (to yield 1-1/2 tbs finely chopped), 3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed, 1/2 cup white wine (like a sauvignon blanc), 2 tbs unsalted chilled butter, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black ground pepper, 1 lb dry spaghetti, water for boiling pasta & 1/2 tbs salt for pasta
Clams – Remove any excess sand by immersing the clams in a large pot of cool tap water. Add 2 tbs corn meal which is a trick used to remove the sand. Soak for about 1 hour. After, rinse away all the corn meal and sand and set the clams aside, ready to use.
Onions or shallots: Peel, discard skin and ends. Finely chop and set aside.Parsley: Finely chop and set aside. Soak in water to prevent discoloring if not using immediately.
Butter: Cut into little chunks. Keep chilled in refrigerator until ready to use.
Garlic: Finely chop and set aside.
Pasta: In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of water with 1/2 tbs salt. Add the spaghetti. Cook for about 11 minutes until al dente. Stir a few times in the beginning to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Drain pasta in a colander.
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
When almost smoking, add the finely chopped onions and garlic. Saute until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add all but 2 tbs chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, ground black pepper and wine. Stir to combine.
Add the clams. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until
most clams have opened.
Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.
Place pasta into the clam saute pan and mix
thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Garnish with
remaining chopped parsley & serve immediately.
Recipe for
Spaghetti alle Vongole ~ A Classic Preparation of Spaghetti with Clams in White Wine
Preparation time - 1 hour (for soaking clams)Cooking time - 20 minutes
Serves 4-6
Shopping list
2-1/2 lbs little neck clams, scrubbed clean
water for soaking clams
2 tbs corn meal to remove excess sand
1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil1 small yellow onion or 2 shallots (to yield 1/2 cup finely chopped)
8 garlic cloves, peeled (to yield 1-1/2 tbs finely chopped)
3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed
1/2 cup white wine (like a sauvignon blanc)
2 tbs unsalted chilled butter 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black ground pepper
1 lb dry spaghettiwater for boiling pasta
1/2 tbs salt for pasta
Preparation:
Clams – Remove any excess sand by immersing the clams in a large pot of cool tap water. Add 2 tbs corn meal which is a trick used to remove the sand. Soak for about 1 hour. After, rinse away all the corn meal and sand and set the clams aside, ready to use.
Onions or shallots: Peel, discard skin and ends. Finely chop and set aside.Parsley: Finely chop and set aside. Soak in water to prevent discoloring if not using immediately.
Butter: Cut into little chunks. Keep chilled in refrigerator until ready to use.
Garlic: Finely chop and set aside.Pasta: In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of water with 1/2 tbs salt. Add the spaghetti. Cook for about 11 minutes until al dente. Stir a few times in the beginning to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Drain pasta in a colander. Method:
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
When almost smoking, add the finely chopped onions and garlic. Saute until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add all but 2 tbs chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, ground black pepper and wine. Stir to combine.
Add the clams. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until
most clams have opened.
Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.
Place pasta into the clam saute pan and mix
thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Pour pasta into large serving bowl.
Garnish with remaining chopped parsley & serve immediately.
Enjoy!
