Spaghetti alla Vongole in Bianco

By Anthony Chiffolo • January 27, 2011 • 1 Comments

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Author Notes: Who would have thought that a delicious recipe for spaghetti would come from a Japanese film about noodle soup? We developed this recipe from the movie "Tampopo" for our book "Cooking with the Movies: Meals on Reels." Enjoy! - Anthony Chiffolo

Serves 6-8 persons

7 cups cold water
30 clams
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1/4 cup chives, diced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cups salted boiling water
1 pound spaghetti
3 tablespoons butter
chopped parsley
fresh Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Let the clams drain in cold water for at least 1 hour. Drain the water, and place the clams in a bowl with the white wine, olive oil, garlic, chives, and red pepper. Pour the clams and liquid into a very hot saucepan with a lid, and cook over a medium flame for 5–7 minutes, just until the clams begin to open. (Toss any clams that do not open.)
At the same time, cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water, about 6 –8 minutes or less, so that it is al dente. Drain, add butter, then toss into the clam sauce.
When serving, shower each plate with a bit of parsley, Parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper.