Spaghetti alle Vongole is a simple, Neapolitan dish steeped in southern Italian tradition. Classically this dish is served at important events such as business lunches or weddings , however these days it is used as a quick and easy meal. This is dish is a perfect example of the beauty of simplicity.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes / Cooking Time: 10 minutes / Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely diced
- 1 birdseye chilli, diced
- Juice and rind of 1 lemon
- 600g, clams (or pipi)
- 100ml, Chardonnay
- 300g, angel hair pasta
- 30ml, extra virgin olive oil
- 20g fresh parsley
Method
- Place the clams in a bowl and cover with water. Leave for 20 minutes.
- Fill a large saucepan with water, a pinch of salt and a dash of oil and bring to the boil.
- Heat a frying pan with a 5ml of olive oil
- After a few minutes, add the onion, garlic, tomato and chilli.
- Add the clams, Chardonnay, lemon rind, and lemon juice.
- Cover the frying pan with a lid or a heat resistant plate and simmer on a low heat for 5-6 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the boiled water and cook as per the instructions on the packet.
- At this point the clam shells should have opened. Once they have, remove them from the heat.
- Add the olive oil, pasta and parsley to the frying pan. Mix thoroughly and serve immediately.
Notes
Placing the clams in a bowl of water for 20 minutes before cooking encourages them to open and releases sand that may be present in the shell. This will ensure your pasta will not be gritty.