Spaghetti w / Clam Sauce Recipe

SPAGHETTI VONGOLE

SPAGHETTI VONGOLE

At Da MARINO RISTORANTE / PIZZERIA

A GREAT RESTUARANT in NAPLES

“Probably the Best VONGOLE I’ve Ever had.”

SPAGHETTI VONGOLE RECIPE :

INGREDIENTS :

1 lb. Imported Italian Spaghetti (or Linguine)

1 pound Cockles or Manila Clams

18 Littleneck Clams

12 tablespoons Olive Oil

4 cloves Garlic, peeled. Cut 3 cloves into thin slivers, keep one garlic clove whole.

1/8 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

12 Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

Salt & Black Pepper

4 tablespoons chopped fresh Parsley

¼ cup Water

Place Littleneck clams in a medium size pot with a lid. Add Water and clams with 1 whole garlic clove, cover pot. Turn heat up to high and cook clams until they just open. Turn flame off. Remove clams from pot and reserve the cooking liquid.

Put a large pot of water on stove and bring to boil for cooking the pasta. Add Spaghetti or Linguine to pot of rapidly boiling water with salt and cook according to directions on package.

Sauté Garlic in Olive Oil in a large sauté pan over medium until garlic just starts to brown, lower heat to low and add Red Pepper. Cook 1 Minute.

Add Cherry Tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add Cockles (or Manila Clams) to pan with garlic and olive oil. Add cooking liquid from larger Cherry Stone Clams to pan. Put cover on pan and turn heat to high, and cook until the Cockles (clams) just open.

Remove cooked Cherrystones from shells and chop each clam into about 6 pieces or so. Add the Chopped Cherrystone Clams and Parsley to pan with Cockles. When pasta is done cooking, drain it and add to pan with clams. Using a pair of tongs, mix pasta with clams, and cooking liquid.

Divide Pasta into 4 to 6 equal portions on plates or pasta bowls. Divide all cooking liquid and Clams over each portion of pasta on the plates. Sprinkle on some more Olive Oil once Pasta is plated. Enjoy.

Note: Do Not Put any Cheese over this Pasta. It’s not recommended, but if you really must, then go ahead. “To each his own.” But we strongly suggest you don’t. Also, it is recommended you use either top quality Imported Italian Spaghetti or Linguine to make this dish the best it can taste. Do not use Fresh Pasta which I’ve seen people Sacrilegiously do on occasion. It doesn’t go with the Clam Sauce, but then again, if you must you must.

Recipe from my forthcoming New Book – POSITANO CAPRI NAPOLI / The AMALFI COAST

by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE