Spaghetti With Clams, The Famous Neapolitan Recipe (VIDEO)
Spaghetti with clams (Spaghetti alle Vongole) is a classic of Italian cuisine, a first course of fish typical of the Campania tradition that is quick and easy to prepare.
Spaghetti with clams is one of the most famous and popular Neapolitan recipes. The recipe for spaghetti with clams originates from the Campania region, particularly from the city of Naples, even if it is a dish now offered throughout Italy, especially along the coasts. Given the ease of preparation and the fairly cheap cost for a fish dish, I am convinced this is the Mediterranean recipe par excellence!
This is a simple but really delicious recipe. I know that cooking shellfish, such as clams and mussels, may seem complicated, but I assure you that this recipe is really straightforward, and once you try it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner!
Like all traditional recipes, there are different versions of spaghetti with clams. There are also “white” and “red” versions of this recipe. What I’m going to show you is a simple recipe for White Spaghetti with Clams. — “You’ll bring home the taste of the sea” !!!
Ingredients for Spaghetti with Clams White Version Recipe
- Little neck clams or other small clams, with shells
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic cloves
- Salt and parsley
- Spaghetti
- Dry white wine
How Much and What Type of Clams to Use for Spaghetti with Clams?
The ideal clams would be Veraci clams, but they are not always available and quite expensive. The chef’s recommendation is to opt for Lupini clams, which he actually prefers for their “more pronounced sea flavor.”
In terms of quantity, the recommended amount is approximately 250 g per person (8-9 oz), calculating then a pasta portion of 80–100 grams per person (ca. 3 oz).
Spaghetti alle Vongole Video Tutorial
How to Make Spaghetti with Clams
Follow my step-by-step instructions, and you too will be able to prepare restaurant-style spaghetti with clams that will amaze your guests!
How to prepare the clams for the Spaghetti with clams recipe?
Rinse the clams several times under running water with the help of a bowl or colander. Do not allow them to soak! Continue until there is no sand left at the bottom (1). Now add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 3 cloves of garlic in a non-stick frying pan. Let cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring occasionally (2). Add clams and cover. The heat will cause them to open up. After 3–4 minutes, the clams will open (3). With a slotted spoon, take the opened clams and add put to a colander. Let them cool (4).
TIPS & TRICKS
If you find that many of the clams are still closed, you can continue to cook for a couple more minutes. After this time, you must throw the clams that remain closed away, because they are dead and no good. Don’t try to open them, because they will make the sauce more bitter, and don’t prolong cooking any longer because you risk messing things up.
Now the time has come to bring spaghetti water to a boil in a large saucepan.
Meanwhile, collect the liquid that the clams have released into a saucepan, and strain it with a very fine cotton cloth or a tight-mesh strainer, such as a tea strainer, to remove any dirt and grit (5). This is an important step because the liquid that the clams secrete is very tasty and will season any pasta well.
Clean the clams under plenty of running water to remove any remaining sand (6). And at this point, the spaghetti water will boil. Add some salt, wait until it boils again, and add the spaghetti (7). Cook according to package instructions.
NOTE – You will need to drain spaghetti 2 minutes before the “al dente” time.
While the spaghetti is cooking, peel the clams, leaving a few aside with the shells to garnish the dish (8).
In the same pan where you cooked the clams, add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the chopped parsley, and the cleaned clams. Cook for 2 minutes over high heat, stirring frequently (9). Add the white wine and continue cooking for a few more minutes. Turn off the heat and set the clams aside with a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid back in the pot (10). Add the clam sauce you strained to the pot and turn the heat back on (11).
2 minutes before the “al dente” cooking indicated on the package, drain the spaghetti with a large fork and pour them directly into the pan with the sauce (12). Set aside the cooking water because you’ll need it to finish cooking pasta like risotto.
Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, by adding cooking water, a little at a time, if needed, and a tablespoon of extra virgin oil if you like (13). Finally, add the clams and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally (14).
How to Serve Spaghetti with Clams
Plate up (15) and garnish with the clams you have set aside (16) and, if desired, some chopped parsley. Serve Spaghetti with clams immediately while they are hot.
Spaghetti With Clams Storage Instructions
Spaghetti with Clams should be cooked and served immediately. You can also store leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days. Then heat them up in a skillet before serving, but the result won’t be the same.
Spaghetti With Clams (Spaghetti alle Vongole)
Ingredients
- 1000 g clams
- 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 whole and peeled cloves of garlic
- Salt
- 350 g Spaghetti
- Fresh parsley chopped
- 100 ml dry white wine
Instructions
- Rinse the clams several times under running water, with the help of a bowl or a colander, but not allowing them to soak. Continue until there is no sand left at the bottom.
- To a non-stick frying pan, add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 3 cloves of garlic. Let heat for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add clams and cover. The heat will cause the clams to open up. After 3–4 minutes, the clams will open. If you find that many of them are still closed, you can continue to cook for a couple more minutes.
- After this time, you must throw the clams that remain closed, because they are dead and no good. Don’t open them, because they will make the sauce more bitter, and don’t prolong cooking any longer because you risk messing things up.
- Place the clams in a colander, and let them cool. Meanwhile, bring spaghetti water to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Collect the liquid that the clams have released into a saucepan, strain it with a very fine cotton cloth or a tight-mesh strainer, such as a tea strainer, to remove any dirt and grit. This is an important step because the liquid that the clams secrete is very tasty and will season any pasta well.
- Clean the clams under plenty of running water to remove any remaining sand.
- At this point, the spaghetti water will boil. Add some salt, wait until it boils again, and add the spaghetti. Cook according to package instructions. Note that you will need to drain them 2 minutes before the “al dente” time.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, take the open clams out of the shells, and set a few with the shells aside to garnish the dish.
- In the pan where you cooked the clams, add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, chopped parsley, and cleaned clams. Cook for 2 minutes over high heat, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the white wine and continue to cook for a few more minutes, then turn off the heat and set the clams aside with a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid in the pot again.
- Add the clam sauce you strained to the pot and turn the stove back on.
- 2 minutes before “al dente” indicated on the package, drain the spaghetti with a large fork and place them directly in the pan with the sauce. Reserve cooking water because you will need it to finish cooking pasta like risotto.
- Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce by adding cooking water if required, a little at a time, and a tablespoon of extra virgin oil if you like.
- Finally, add the clams and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally.
- Serve the spaghetti with clams immediately, garnished with the clams you have set aside and, if you like, some chopped parsley.
