There’s something undeniably romantic about Spaghetti alle Vongole—the way the briny scent of the sea fills the air as the clams gently open, just like those seaside lunches in Italy, where the sun dances on the water and the wine flows freely. This simple, soulful dish brings back memories of long, lingering meals along the coast, where every bite tastes like summer and tradition. Whether you’re recreating a coastal escape from your kitchen or gathering for a quiet feast at home, Spaghetti alle Vongole is a beautiful centerpiece. *Linguine works very well too!

Yield 4 Servings

Mis en Place

4 Pounds Small Clams (littleneck or manila)

500 G. Spaghetti, good quality

4 Cloves of Garlic

Parsley

1/2 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 C. White Wine

Method

Step 1 – Clean the Clams

Start off by cleaning the clams. Make sure there are no broken or empty shells, if so discard them.

Then place them in a large bowl and add cold water and coarse salt. Place the bowl in the fridge. This process is done to draw out any sand that could be inside the clams.

Let the clams soak for an hour, drain and repeat again. If the water remains clear the clams are ready. Give the clams a final rinse in a colander.

Cook the Clams

In a wide sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 smashed cloves of garlic and let it gently sizzle until fragrant (don’t let it brown/burn), about 2 minutes.

Add 8-10 stems of parsley, the clams and the wine. Cover with a lid. (shake the pan from time to time until they are completely open). Roughly 5 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.

In the meantime…

Make the Pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente (about 4 minutes away from being done).

Once the clams are open, strain them into a bowl reserving their juices. In the same sauté pan, add remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 smashed garlic cloves, another bundle of parsley stems and again on a lower heat let is become fragrant, roughly 2-3 minutes. Remove garlic and parsley stems.

Add a small ladle of pasta water to the oil, transfer the pasta to the pan without draining the pasta, I like to use tongs/ kitchen tweezers. Add half the clam juice and stir constantly, as the pasta finishes to cook it will release starch helping to make a silky sauce. If it doesn’t appear saucy enough add more clam juice.

Remove most of the clams from the shells and set aside. *This step is ideally done while pasta is still cooking, an extra set of hands is helpful. I like to reserve 3 shelled clams per plate for presentation.

Add the clams to the pasta and chopped parsley to finish. Plate each portion and garnish with the reserved clam shells.