Linguine Alle Vongole Recipe

Boil water and cook linguine

Bring a large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt. Add 12 oz linguine and cook until just shy of al dente (about 9 minutes, or per package instructions). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta, leaving it very slightly wet.

Purge and check clams

Rinse the 2 lb clams under cold running water and scrub shells with a brush. Discard any clams with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. If clams are sandy, soak them in cold salted water for 20 minutes and rinse again.

Steam clams

In a wide skillet or sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, add 1 cup dry white wine and 1 cup low-sodium stock. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the clams in a single layer, cover, and steam until clams open, about 5–7 minutes. Shake the pan once or twice during cooking to redistribute heat. Using tongs, transfer opened clams to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Discard any clams that remain closed.

Reduce and reserve clam broth

Allow the cooking liquid in the pan to boil for 2–3 minutes to concentrate flavors slightly. Taste and season very lightly with salt (the clams and stock are briny). Keep the broth in the pan for building the sauce.

Infuse oil

Lower heat to medium. Add 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter to the pan with the clam broth. When butter melts and oil is warm, add 6 sliced garlic cloves, 1 small minced shallot, and 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Sauté gently, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden and fragrant (about 1–2 minutes). Do not let garlic brown aggressively or burn.

Finish sauce

Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water to the pan to help emulsify the sauce. Stir in 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp fine sea salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Add 1 cup chopped parsley (reserve some for garnish). Simmer 1 minute so flavors meld.

Combine pasta, clams, and sauce

Add the drained linguine to the pan and toss vigorously with tongs or two forks to coat the pasta in the sauce, adding up to the remaining reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time if the pasta seems dry. Return the steamed clams and any accumulated juices to the pan and toss gently to combine, heating through for 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon, salt, or pepper as desired.

Divide linguine and clams among 4 warmed shallow bowls. Spoon any remaining sauce over each portion. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tbsp extra parsley and a light dusting (about 1 tbsp) of grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan if using. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.