pasta

spaghetti vongole

servings
4

method

Clams were, and still are, available in Venice by the boatload. So much so that they’re even considered peasant food. Although this recipe originates from Venice, it’s so delicious that it’s now become a classic Italian dish. People can be picky about whether or not it should be made with or without tomatoes, but personally I like the subtle color and sweetness they add to the dish. The most important thing about it is timing everything so you get perfectly steamed clams and al dente pasta. Once you’ve made it a couple of times your intuition will kick in and you’ll be able to make it quickly and perfectly every time.

Put a pan of water on to boil. While that’s happening, sort through your cleaned clams and if there are any that aren’t tightly closed, give them a sharp tap. If they don’t close, throw them away. Put a large pan with a lid on a high heat and let it heat up. Finely slice the parsley stalks, then put them to one side and roughly chop the leaves. Peel and chop the garlic, quarter the tomatoes and get your wine ready.

Add the pasta to the boiling water with a good pinch of salt and cook according to packet instructions until al dente. About 5 minutes before your pasta is ready, get ready to start cooking – you'll have to be quick about this, so no mucking about! Put 4 generous lugs of extra virgin olive oil into the hot pan and add the garlic, parsley stalks and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Crumble in the dried chili and add the chopped tomatoes. Stir everything around constantly and just as the garlic starts to colour, tip in the clams and pour in the wine. It will splutter and steam, so give everything a good shake and put the lid on the pan. After about 3 or 4 minutes the clams will start to open, so keep shuffling the pan around until all of them have opened. Take the pan off the heat. Get rid of any clams that haven't opened.

By now your pasta should be just about perfect. Drain and add to the pan of clams along with the parsley leaves and an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Stir or toss for a further minute or two to let the beautiful seashore juices from the clams be absorbed into the pasta. Serve right away. No sane Italian would eat this dish without some fresh hunks of bread to mop up the juices. Beautiful!

P.S. The first time you make this it will be good, but you might find things don't come together exactly at the right time. But don't worry, this dish is all about confidence and the more you make this, the more you'll find the pasta and clams are ready and perfect at the same time. And then it will be great!

• from Jamie does...

ingredients

• 1kg small clams,
scrubbed clean
• a small bunch of fresh
flat-leaf parsley
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 250ml white wine
• 400g dried spaghetti
• sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1–2 dried chillies

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tried this recipe or a similar one? share your tips...

1. by McNott on Sat 04 Feb 2012 @ 16:51

Brilliant simple - I have also tried the local vongole in Rimmini (down the track from Venice) and they too are famous for this tasty clam. a bottle of Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio (drink young) is a great accompaniment.

2. by James K on Wed 07 Dec 2011 @ 02:03

Are the dried chillies crucial to the dish? Can they be substituted for something like crushed red pepper flakes, or even excluded entirely?

3. by ingrid on Fri 02 Dec 2011 @ 17:54

this is THE dish at the moment we can not go one week without eating this delicious pasta

4. by mona on Tue 29 Nov 2011 @ 10:46

i always prefer to use your recipe,beacuse all of them are amazing and delicious.thanks alot and i should say that i am one of your fans in the world,if you read my comment please answer me.thank u...i

5. by Em on Wed 23 Nov 2011 @ 10:15

Jamie, this is my favorite meal EVER!!! Thanks for putting it online, just got to try and find clams now!

6. by Jmie on Sat 19 Nov 2011 @ 14:45

Hi mate: You can substitute the wine with some good organic stock. Some might even say clam juice but italians would get mad about it. Cheers

7. by rohani on Fri 04 Nov 2011 @ 04:31

hai jamie ,i wish to try this dish...but i am a muslim... i can't add wine to this dishes..anything that can be exchange similar to it?

8. by Dawn on Thu 25 Aug 2011 @ 20:10

All i can say is yummy .what a great recipe i added some mussels also its got to be in my top 5 now cant wait to cook it for friend.i live in Spain and seafood is so readily available along with a good white wine a perfect evening. : )

9. by Anna on Sat 20 Aug 2011 @ 19:55

What a lovely dish. I used linguine which worked beautifully and two hot fresh chillis which gave a lovely bite! 2 of us actually ate the whole lot!! Will be making this again!!

10. by Ruth on Fri 15 Jul 2011 @ 18:54

One of my all time favorites to prepare for friends. But I do the clams as I have been taught by Italians while living there: first put the clams in a hot pan without any oil until they open and produce their lovely water, then I remove them to a bowl and drain the juice they have produced to avoid any grit in the final product. then I follow on exactly as Jamie describes. Seems a bother, but nothing ruins a lovely bowl of spaghetti alle vongole like even one grain of sand!

11. by Rob on Sat 25 Jun 2011 @ 11:50

I've been living and working in Rome for 2 years and my neighbor the 'Pasta Masta' as I call him has taught me the art of Pasta cooking. I now serve many Italians with Pasta - sometimes to applause. This recipe and its subtile variations is without doubt in the top five meals. Its simple easy and has the best flavors ever. You've got it spot on. I (we) also love your Caprese salad with grilled peppers (adds somthing extra to an all ready great dish on a warm evening). Put the two meals together and you have the making of a wonderfull night. Thanks Jamie.

12. by anna boada on Tue 31 May 2011 @ 11:11

I lived 10 years in Italy and really love this dish. But Jamie, you should check out twice the titles of the recipes, they have spelling mistakes here and there (also on the website). This one, for instance, should be "Spaghetti ALLE vongole". It's time British people make an effort to learn proper Italian, Spanish and so on... If you need any help, I speak five languages :-D Much love Anna (Spanish fan currently living in Norway)

13. by Brankica on Sat 21 May 2011 @ 12:10

Perfect..........

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