Spaghetti vongole with white wine and chilli
Clams, garlic, chilli, white wine, parsley, lemon, good olive oil. Fifteen minutes of cooking and the best Italian pasta you will make at home.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh vongole or pipis
- 300 g dried spaghetti
- 6 cloves garlic 4 sliced, 2 chopped
- 2 long red chillies, chopped
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- salt for the pasta water
- black pepper
- 2 tbsp toasted breadcrumbs optional
Instructions
- Purge the clams in cold salted water for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse. Discard any open ones that don't close when tapped.
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide pan. Soften the sliced garlic and chilli over medium heat for 3 minutes without browning.
- Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water, cook 2 minutes less than packet time.
- Clams and wine into the hot pan. Lid on. High heat. 3 to 5 minutes until all the clams open.
- Lift the pasta into the clam pan with tongs. Reserve a mug of pasta water.
- Add the chopped garlic, parsley, lemon zest and juice and the remaining olive oil.
- Toss for 90 seconds. Splash in pasta water if it looks dry. Black pepper, taste for salt.
- Serve immediately. No cheese. Breadcrumbs on top if using.