Linguine vongole
Vongole depends on live clams that open in the pan and season the pasta with their own liquor. Buy them live and purge them first in salted water so they spit out any grit, which is the step most people skip. Keep the sauce simple with garlic, chilli, white wine and the juices the clams release.
Ingredients
- 500g live clams (ask the counter for palourde or surf clams)
- 200g linguine
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 100ml dry white wine
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- a handful of parsley
- sea salt
Method
- Purge the clams. Sit them in a bowl of cold salted water, about 1 tbsp of salt per litre, for 1 hour so they release grit. Discard any that are cracked or that stay open when tapped.
- Cook the linguine in well-salted water until just under al dente. Save a cup of the pasta water.
- Warm the oil with the garlic and chilli for 1 minute without letting them colour. Add the clams and wine, put the lid on and cook over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the clams open.
- Discard any clam that stays shut. Add the drained pasta and a splash of pasta water and toss for 1 to 2 minutes to finish the pasta in the clam juices.
- Stir through the parsley, add a little more oil and serve. No cheese.
To serve: Crusty bread to catch the juices, and a green salad. To drink, the dry white you cooked with. Keep them cold under a damp cloth and cook them the day you buy. Cockles work the same way.
Shop this recipe: clams and cockles. Cut to order at the counter, filleting free.
