Clam

Spaghetti alle Vonghole - Spaghetti with clams

January 15, 2010
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This spaghetti recipe is so quick to make, it's almost impossible to not make it when I'm eating alone. Whenever I find very fresh clams, I cook them like in this recipe, divide them in small containers with their cooking liquid and freeze, so all I have to do is defrost them while I cook the spaghetti. —Maria Teresa Jorge

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2.5 pounds very fresh clams
  • 3 stalks of fresh coriander
  • 4 garlic cloves with pink skin on and crushed with back of a knife
  • 6 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 or 2 dry chillies - optional
  • 12 ounces spaghetti
  • salt
  • 1 tablespoon coriander leaves finely chopped
  • lemon for garnish
Directions
  1. Wash the fresh clams very well under running cold water and then leave them in cold salted water for 1 hour. Drain.
  2. Heat the olive oil, the garlic cloves, the stalks of fresh coriander (they have an amazing flavour) and the chilli cut in small pieces. When the garlic starts to sizzle add the clams, cover the pan with a lid and sauté for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to handle. Remove the clams from the cooking liquid, reserving the cooking liquid.
  4. When cool enough to handle, take the clams out of their shells and reserve them.
  5. Strain the cooking liquid through a very fine sieve and reserve.
  6. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain, put back in the pot, add the clams and a ladle of cooking liquid and bring sauce to a simmer. Immediately remove from heat, cover with the lid and allow to stand for 2 minutes.
  7. Serve immediately sprinkled with coriander leaves and chopped edges of lemon.
  8. To freeze the cooked clams, proceed until step 5, divide clams and cooking liquid in small containers and freeze up to 3 months.
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2 Reviews

Babette's F. January 16, 2010
I can just about taste the mediterranean flavor in this recipe. Thanks for the tips for the freezing process, makes life so much easier.
 
Maria T. January 20, 2010
Thank you for your comment.