Spaghetti Alla Chitarra Alle Vongole Recipe

Purge and Rinse

Place the clams in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Add 2 tablespoons of fine sea salt and stir to dissolve. Let clams sit for 20–30 minutes so they expel sand. Lift the clams out (do not pour water back over them) and rinse under cold running water, scrubbing any remaining grit from shells. Discard any clams that are cracked or remain open when tapped.

Cook to Open

In a wide deep pan with a tight-fitting lid, add 100 ml of the white wine and 100 ml of water (or 250 ml wine/water total by adjusting) and bring to a vigorous simmer over medium-high heat. Add half of the clams, cover, and steam for 3–5 minutes until they open. Transfer opened clams to a bowl, leaving any unopened clams in the pan and continue until all clams have opened (discard any that do not open). Reserve the cooking liquid by straining through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a paper towel or cheesecloth to remove sand; measure and set aside 150 ml for the sauce. Reserve the opened clams in their shells; if preferred, remove half the meat from shells for quicker eating and leave half in shells for presentation.

Bring 4 liters of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of coarse salt (the water should taste of the sea). Add the spaghetti alla chitarra and cook until just shy of al dente — about 8–10 minutes depending on thickness; check package time and taste at 7 minutes. Reserve 200 ml of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.

Infuse Oil

While pasta cooks, heat 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic and the fresh red chili (split and seeds removed if you want milder heat) and sweat gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and garlic just begins to color. Do not burn the garlic.

Deglaze & Steam Clams

Increase heat to medium-high, add the reserved strained clam cooking liquid (about 150 ml) and 150 ml dry white wine to the pan. Bring to a lively simmer. Add the opened clams (and any juices collected) to the pan, cover for 30–60 seconds to marry flavors, then remove the lid.

Finish Sauce

Add 1/3 of the chopped parsley to the sauce and stir. If sauce seems thin, add 2–4 tablespoons of reserved pasta cooking water to help emulsify. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste (remember clams can be briny). Stir in the optional 20 g unsalted butter off the heat to give the sauce a glossy sheen.

Toss Pasta with Sauce

Add the drained spaghetti alla chitarra directly to the pan with the clams and sauce. Toss vigorously with tongs or two forks for 1–2 minutes so pasta absorbs the sauce and the flavors distribute evenly. If needed, add more reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, to achieve a silky coating.

Plate & Garnish

Divide spaghetti and clams among serving bowls, making sure each portion gets several clams in shell. Sprinkle remaining chopped parsley over each plate and grind a little extra black pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing and an optional drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.