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Italian · Campanian

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Name: Spaghetti alle Vongole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 kg live clams scrubbed and purged; 350 g spaghetti; 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 garlic cloves lightly crushed; 80 ml dry white wine; 20 g fresh parsley finely chopped; 0.5 red chilli finely sliced; fine salt for the pasta water

Campanian spaghetti with clams, garlic and parsley

A bright coastal pasta from Campania, finished in filtered clam liquor for a glossy, deeply savoury sauce.

Jump to recipe

Prep15 minsCook15 minsServes4DifficultyMedium

Bright, satisfying and built for real life.

This recipe brings together the generous flavours of Italian and Campanian cooking in a format that works on a busy day. Read through the method before starting and adjust seasoning to your taste.

Ingredient notes & swaps

Use linguine in place of spaghetti.
Omit the wine and use 80 ml water.

The recipe

Spaghetti alle Vongole

15 min prep15 min cook30 min total4 servings

Scale:

Ingredients

Pasta

1 kg live clams, scrubbed and purged
350 g spaghetti
fine salt, for the pasta water

Sauce

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
80 ml dry white wine
½ red chilli, finely sliced

To finish

20 g fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method

1
Discard any cracked clams, then rinse the purged clams thoroughly in cold water.
2
Warm half the oil with the garlic and chilli, add the wine and clams, cover and cook until the shells open.
Set a timer: 5 minutes
3
Lift out the clams, discard any that stay closed, and filter the cooking liquor through a fine sieve.
Set a timer: 3 minutes
4
Boil the spaghetti until very al dente, then finish it in the clam liquor with the remaining oil and a splash of pasta water.
Set a timer: 10 minutes
5
Return the clams to the pan, toss with parsley and serve immediately.
Set a timer: 2 minutes

Spaghetti alle vongole is closely associated with the coastal cooking of Campania and southern Italy. This version is in bianco: clams, garlic, olive oil, white wine and parsley, with the filtered clam liquor emulsified into the pasta.

Storage

Best eaten immediately; refrigerate leftovers for no more than 1 day.

Freezing

Not recommended.

Reheating

Warm gently in a pan with a splash of water until piping hot.

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