Spaghettini Alle Vongole Recipe

Purge and clean clams

Rinse the clams under cold running water. If needed, soak them in a bowl of cold salted water (about 1 tbsp salt per 4 cups water) for 20–30 minutes to purge sand. Scrub any barnacles or grit from shells with a brush. Discard any clams with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped.

Boil pasta water

Fill a large pot with at least 4 quarts (4 L) of water, bring to a rolling boil, then add the coarse salt. Add the spaghettini and cook until just shy of al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package instructions), reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.

Heat a large wide sauté pan (one that can hold the pasta and clams) over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter foams and the oil is shimmering, add the sliced garlic and minced shallot and sauté gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and just translucent. Be careful not to brown the garlic.

Add the crushed red pepper flakes and stir for 10–15 seconds to release fragrance.

Pour in the dry white wine and increase heat to medium-high. Let the wine simmer for 1–2 minutes to reduce slightly and burn off most alcohol.

Add the cleaned clams to the pan in a single layer if possible. Pour the cup of stock (or 1 cup of reserved clam liquid if you collected it) around the clams. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and steam the clams for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway through, until clams open. Discard any clams that remain closed after steaming.

Remove the clams with tongs to a bowl, leaving the cooking liquid and any sediment in the pan. If there is a lot of grit, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and return the liquid to the pan.

Bring the pan with the clam sauce back to medium heat. Add the reserved, barely al dente spaghettini directly to the pan, or add the drained pasta and pour in 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss and stir (using tongs) to combine, allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce for 1–2 minutes so it reaches al dente and the sauce emulsifies. Add more pasta water as needed to achieve a silky sauce that coats the pasta.

Return the clams to the pasta and pan (in their shells). Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped parsley, and freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss to combine and warm the clams through for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning with fine sea salt if needed.

Remove from heat and finish with a small drizzle (about 1 tsp) of extra-virgin olive oil. Let rest 30 seconds, then divide among plates or bowls, making sure each serving gets several clams. Serve immediately with lemon wedges if desired.