How to Use Summer Clams to Make Linguini alle Vongole

This dish is the ultimate summer pasta. The brininess of the clams, the heat from the chilies, and the freshness of the herbs are the perfect combination that you will want to enjoy all summer long. I personally love to use New Zealand cockles for this dish, but always buy the freshest clams available.

It is super important to soak the clams, changing the water multiple times throughout the soaking process. A great trick is to also add in a bit of semolina flour to the soaking water, as it helps the clams exude any remnants of sand.

You will also note that I don't use the juice of any lemons in this particular recipe. The reason is that I love to taste the purity of the sauce created by the briny clams and the splash of white wine. It is pure, clean, and you will finish every last drop with a spoon or a delicious piece of crunchy bread! 

Linguini alle Vongole

Recipe by Joanna Moeller

5.0 from 1 vote

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. 2 Little Neck clams (soaked, rinsed and scrubbed)

• 1 lb. 1 linguine pasta

• 1/3 cup 1/3 extra virgin olive oil + more to finish

• 1/2 cup 1/2 dry white wine

• 1-1/2 ladles 1-1/2 sea-salted starchy pasta water

• 6 cloves 6 garlic, sliced

• 1/2 1/2 Serrano pepper, sliced

• 1 tsp. 1 crushed red pepper flakes

• sea salt and black pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup 1/2 freshly chopped parsley

Directions

• Bring a pasta pot of water to boil.
• Season with a generous amount (about 1/4 cup) of sea salt.
• Add the linguine and stir until the boil resumes.
• Meanwhile, heat a Dutch oven or a large skillet to med/high heat.
• Add in extra virgin olive oil and sliced garlic.
• Once the garlic is lightly browned (about 2 minutes), add in the Serrano peppers, clams, white wine, sea salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper and a bit of the cooking pasta water; cover until clams open (5-7 minutes).
• Drop your al dente cooked linguine directly into the opened clams, adding a bit more pasta water.
• Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and chopped fresh parsley. 

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