Recipe
Serves 2 as a main
A delicious summer dish showcasing fresh clams, with a hint of chilli and fresh parsley.
It’s vibrant in flavour and simple to prepare. Check with your fishmonger if the clams have been purged of sand. Alternatively, follow steps below or read package instructions if vacuumed sealed.
Place clams in a bowl and cover in salted cold water by 2 cm. Leave for an hour to purge any remaining any sand inside shells, then drain, rinse under cold water, drain again and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook for a minute less than packet instructions, just under al dente. Drain.
While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Stir in the garlic, chilli and anchovy and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and aromatic. Increase heat to high, add the clams and pour in the wine. Cover with a lid and cook, giving the pan a good shake occasionally for about 2 minutes, or until all have opened, transferring opened clams to a bowl and throwing away any unopened clams as likely dead. Tip in the hot spaghetti, half the parsley and rocket, if using, then return the clams to pan, carefully tossing to combine, coating the pasta in the cooking liquid. Season with a generous grinding of pepper and check if salt is needed, considering the anchovy and clams are salty.
Serve immediately, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with remaining parsley.
Ingredients
500g vongole clams or pipis
200g spaghetti
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
3 anchovy fillets, chopped
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (need about ½ bunch)
150ml dry white wine
Large handful rocket, coarsely chopped (optional)
Black pepper
Sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
