A Spe-Shell Sort of Dish: How to Make the Perfect Spaghetti alle Vongole
One of the most popular and signature dishes to come out of Southern Italy, Spaghetti alle Vongole has been delighting seafood fans all over the world for many years. A mainstay in traditional Neapolitan cuisine, the dish is the perfect light and summery meal with an explosion of delicious flavours. As the leading provider of fresh seafood in Malta, Azzopardi Fisheries share their favourite recipe for the perfect plate of spaghetti with clams.
1. Cook the spaghetti
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti for the recommended time until almost done (just under al dente).
2. Prepare the clams
In a large pan, add a glug of high quality olive oil, one that is ideal for cooking. Allow it to heat before adding about 15g of butter and 3 finely chopped cloves of garlic. After a couple of minutes, add ½ a medium red chilli (also thinly chopped) and the clams, tossing gently from time to time. You’ll notice after some time that while cooking, the clams will release a juice that will serve as a flavourful ingredient on its own.
3. Turn up the heat!
Raise the flame just a little, and then pour ½ a glass (or 100ml) of dry white wine into the clam mixture. Cover the pan with a lid and allow everything to cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until the clams have started to open. Remove any of those which have remained closed.
4. It all clams together in the end
Add the cooked and drained spaghetti to the clam sauce, and allow everything to cook together for a few minutes. The pasta strands will soak up the juice whilst adding starchiness to the sauce, creating a beautiful blend of tastes and textures. Add another 15g of butter, along with a zest of half a lemon and a handful of chopped parsley to taste, and serve.
Top tips
For a sweet contrast to the salty clams, add lightly crushed cherry tomatoes to the sauce, allowing them to simmer in white wine before adding the clams. Avoid adding cheese to this dish, as it may overpower the taste of the seafood and the olive oil. If you find the taste of chillies too strong, sauté a tin of tomatoes, garlic and onions to make a red sauce instead.
Keep clam and cook on with Azzopardi’s rich selection of fresh seafood in Malta!
We consider ourselves to be the best in the business, always striving to provide our valued customers with the freshest supplies of fresh fish in Malta, as well as a vast assortment of prawns, clams and other shellfish. Contact us to find out more about our services and products, or head over to our store in St. Paul’s Day.
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