Linguini Alle Vongole
a quintessential summer pasta dish
Nothing quite sets the scene of waterfront dining in Italy for me as a dish of Linguini alle Vongole. It’s a beautiful pasta dish that is light and fresh (when properly made), and despite seeming like an intimidating restaurant-level dish, it is actually quite simple to make at home.
If you ask my mom, this dish is absolutely in her top 3 fav pasta dishes and maybe even a top 5 overall dish, too! I kid you not, a few years ago, we were in Naples, FL, for a week, and she ordered this dish every night for a week straight at different restaurants to see which place made it the best. While there were some clear winners at the end of all the week, we decided I could probably top it with a homemade version, and after a few tries, we did it!
This dish comes together in about 30 minutes and only needs a handful of ingredients (though one ingredient I didn’t have on hand when I made this version, but I do love to add, if you can get your hands on it, is some fresh bottarga ~ dried mullet roe ~ it adds SUCH an amazing umami flavor and really takes this dish to the next level.
Without further to do, let’s get into the recipe. (PDF print out on the bottom)
Linguini Alle Vongole
Ingredients:
4lbs vongole clams (small cockle clams) …I calculate 1lb per person
1lb linguini pasta
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, stems removed and leaves minced
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjusted to heat preference)
1 lemon, zested
Grated Bottarga, optional topping
Steps:
Clean the Clams
Begin by cleaning the clams. Give the clams a good rinse, and scrub the outside of the shell if necessary.
Fill a large bowl with water, add 1/4 cup of kosher salt, add the clams, and let them sit for 20 minutes to 1 hour. Then rinse the clams again with fresh water.
This is the process of purging the clams to remove any sand or dirt inside the clams.
Cook the Pasta, Clams & Build the Sauce
Add the pasta to salted boiling water and set a timer to 2 minutes under al dente.
While the pasta cooks, prepare the clams. Add the olive oil to a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add in the garlic, parsley stems, and chili pepper, and immediately stir. The goal is to soften the garlic and make the oil aromatic.
As soon as the garlic begins to get slightly golden, add the cleaned clams. Toss the clams in the oil, then add the white wine and immediately cover the pot. After about 5 minutes, check the clams. Most should be open; if not, cover the pot and check again in another 2 minutes.
Once the clams are all open (toss any that do not open after 10 + minutes as they are no longer safe to eat), remove the parsley stems and optionally remove some of the clam shells, leaving the clam meat in the pan.
Combine It
Transfer the cooked pasta directly into the pot with clams and toss well in the sauce. It is okay if it seems a bit liquidy; the pasta will need it to finish cooking as it releases starches and absorbs the liquid (and its flavor.) Add pasta water as needed.
Once the pasta is perfectly al dente, add the lemon zest and fresh parsley (I like it herby, so I add about 1/2 cup of chopped parsley but feel free to adjust to preference here.) Give it a final toss, then plate and serve. Optionally garnish each plate with grated bottarga.
Here is a PDF printout version for you:
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! And if you recreate this beauty, please take pictures and share them with me!!! I LOVE to see your recreations ❤️