August 2nd, 2024
Linguine alle Vongole – Linguini with White Clam Sauce
This dish, though a southern Italian favorite, has become so popular in the US that it is rarely left off of a menu regardless of the restaurant. It celebrates the freshness of the sea when you use locally sourced clams available in most good groceries. I made this with fresh aquaculture clams from Whole Foods, and it makes the dish. You can use canned whole baby clams as well. As an aside, rumor has it that mobster Joey Gallo was enjoying this dish right before his violent end at Umbertos Clam House in Little Italy in 1972.
Ingredients:
- Sea salt (only for the pasta water)
- 1 pound linguine or spaghetti
- ¼ cup or more good extra virgin olive oil
- 5 or 6 garlic cloves
- ½ cup Pinot Grigio white wine
- Anchovy filet
- Red chili flakes to taste
- Bag of fresh clams or 2 10 oz cans of whole baby clams
- Butter to taste at least three or four tablespoons
- Fresh chopped parsley for the end
- Lemon zest to taste for the end—a couple of wedges for the platter
Preparation:
- Get a large pot with salted water going, and when it is at the boil, drop the linguine. Time it so that you take it out a minute or so before it is really al dente (not soggy but firm) so it can be finished in the sauce pan. 10-12 minutes for linguine is typical.
- In a suitable deep sauté pan or skillet, slowly heat the olive oil, placing the sliced garlic, anchovy filet, and red pepper flakes to gently sauté. Never burn garlic; a soft brown is ok. Put in two tablespoons of butter to cool the pan and add the white wine. Let the alcohol burn off; the smoke will abate. Put the whole clams in, taking care to discard any broken or open ones. Cover. This may take 10-12 minutes as well.
- As the clams open, take them out and place in a bowl. I remove the meat from all but about eight or ten for placement on the serving platter and for the plate—two or three per plate.
- Put the meat back in, and add the pasta by transferring it from the pot with a pasta ladle or similar, and mix with your tongs.
- Fold in the remaining butter.
- Turn with your tongs to infuse the sauce into the pasta. Never rinse pasta the starch helps the sauce bond.
- Transfer to a serving platter with the tongs and dress with the liquid making sure to get all of the clam meat and the garlic.
- Top with fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Grate some lemon zest as well.
- Serve it in individual bowls at the table and garnish with the remaining clams in the shell.
Enjoy with white wine or whatever you like!
Timing is everything, and a helper to remove the clam meat is great. If you use the canned clams it is easier, but much less authentic and the taste isn’t the same. Buon appetito!
