Spaghetti alle Vongole in Bianco
Fresh littleneck clams steam open in white wine and garlic, their briny juice coating tender spaghetti. Ready in under 30 minutes—pure coastal Italian simplicity.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 568
- Protein
- 32g
Ingredients
- 1 lb littleneck clams
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 4 whole garlic cloves
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- 1
Place each clam on a cutting board and scrub the shell under cold running water with a stiff brush or clean cloth, rubbing hard until the shell feels smooth and grit-free, about 30 seconds per clam.
- 2
Slice the garlic cloves into thin pieces about the thickness of a coin, using a sharp knife and a cutting board. You should have 4 separate little piles of sliced garlic.
- 3
Fill a large pot with water until it is about three-quarters full, add salt so it tastes like seawater, and set it over high heat until large bubbles roll to the surface and break, about 8 minutes.
- 4
When the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and stir with a wooden spoon to separate the strands. Cook following the package instructions until the pasta is just tender but still slightly firm to the bite—you'll taste it at that time, usually 9–11 minutes.
- 5
While the pasta cooks, pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a large, wide skillet and set it over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 6
Add all the sliced garlic and the red pepper flakes to the hot oil, stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant and very lightly golden—do not let it brown, or it will taste bitter.
- 7
Pour the white wine into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine bubble gently over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until it smells less sharp and alcohol-forward.
- 8
Carefully add all the scrubbed clams to the skillet in a single layer, cover with a lid or large bowl, and let them steam over medium-high heat until the shells open completely, about 6–8 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.
- 9
When the pasta is done, scoop out a measuring cup of the pasta cooking water and set it aside on the counter, then carefully pour the cooked pasta directly into the skillet with the clams, using a colander if you have one or just tilting the pot carefully.
- 10
Toss the pasta and clams together gently with tongs or two forks for 30 seconds, lifting from the bottom so every strand absorbs the briny liquid. If the pasta looks too dry, pour in a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking water.
- 11
Divide the pasta and clams between two large shallow bowls, spooning some of the cooking liquid from the skillet into each bowl. Serve immediately while hot.
Tools you’ll need
- stiff brush or clean cloth
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- large pot
- wooden spoon
- large, wide skillet (12-inch minimum)
- lid or large bowl for covering
- measuring cup
- colander (optional)
- tongs or two forks
- two large shallow bowls
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