Linguine Alle Vongole Recipe

Purge and inspect clams

Rinse clams thoroughly under cold running water. Discard any clams with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped. If clams are sandy, soak them in cold salted water (1 tablespoon salt per 2 cups water) for 20–30 minutes, then drain and rinse.

Steam clams

In a large wide sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, add the white wine, stock, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a vigorous simmer over medium-high heat. Add half the clams, cover, and steam for 3–5 minutes until most have opened. Remove opened clams to a bowl with tongs. Add remaining clams, cover, and steam until opened. Discard any clams that remain tightly closed after 5 minutes. Reserve the cooking liquid by straining it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a measuring cup; set aside.

Cook linguine

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water (about 1 tablespoon salt per 4–5 liters/quarts) to a rolling boil. Add linguine and cook one to two minutes less than package directions for al dente (about 8–9 minutes depending on pasta). Reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain the linguine and set aside briefly.

Sweat aromatics

In the large sauté pan used for steaming clams (wipe but keep any fond), warm the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 30–45 seconds.

Build sauce

Pour the reserved clam cooking liquid into the pan with the aromatics and bring to a simmer. Let the liquid reduce slightly for 2–3 minutes. Taste and season with the coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. If the sauce seems too concentrated, add up to 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to adjust consistency and salt level.

Combine clams and pasta

Add the drained linguine directly to the simmering sauce and toss or use tongs to coat, cooking together for 1 minute so the pasta finishes cooking and absorbs flavor. Add the opened clams (and any juices collected in the bowl) to the pan, tossing gently to combine. If the sauce needs more looseness, add additional reserved pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, until a glossy emulsion forms that coats the pasta.

Finish and serve

Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest (if using), chopped parsley, and grated cheese (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Portion the linguine and clams into warm bowls, spooning extra broth over each serving. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.