📝 About This Recipe
Transport yourself to the sun-drenched coast of Campania with this quintessential Italian masterpiece. This dish celebrates the briny sweetness of fresh clams, emulsified into a silky, golden sauce of garlic-infused olive oil and crisp white wine. It is a masterclass in simplicity, where the high-quality ingredients harmonize to create a flavor profile that is simultaneously rustic and deeply elegant.
🥗 Ingredients
The Seafood
- 2 pounds Fresh Littleneck or Manila clams (scrubbed and purged of sand)
The Pasta
- 1 pound Linguine (high-quality bronze-die extruded preferred)
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt (for the pasta water)
The Aromatics and Sauce
- 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil (use a high-quality, peppery oil)
- 6 pieces Garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 teaspoon Red pepper flakes (adjust for heat preference)
- 3/4 cup Dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Vermentino)
- 1/2 cup Fresh flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted butter (cold, optional for extra silkiness)
- 1/2 piece Lemon (for a final squeeze of juice)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Purge the clams by soaking them in a bowl of cold, salted water for 20 minutes to allow them to spit out any internal sand. Drain and rinse thoroughly.
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2
Bring a large pot of water (about 6 quarts) to a rolling boil. Add the kosher salt; the water should taste like the sea.
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3
Add the linguine to the boiling water. Cook for about 2 minutes less than the package directions for 'al dente'—the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce.
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4
While the pasta cooks, place a large, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil.
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5
Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes to the cold oil. Allow them to heat up gradually until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden at the edges.
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6
Increase the heat to high and add the cleaned clams to the skillet. Toss them quickly in the garlic oil.
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7
Pour in the white wine. Cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid immediately to trap the steam.
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8
Steam the clams for 5-7 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally. As the clams open, use tongs to remove them to a side bowl to prevent them from becoming rubbery.
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9
Discard any clams that have not opened after 8 minutes.
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10
Reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water, then drain the linguine.
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11
Add the undercooked linguine and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the clam liquor in the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high.
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12
Toss the pasta vigorously for 1-2 minutes. The starch from the water and the oil will emulsify into a creamy sauce that coats the strands.
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13
Stir in the cold butter (if using) and the chopped parsley. Return the clams and any accumulated juices to the pan and toss one last time to warm through.
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14
Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a final drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately while piping hot.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use fresh, live clams; if a clam is open before cooking and doesn't close when tapped, discard it. Never skip the purging process, as nothing ruins this dish faster than a gritty sauce. Do not add cheese; Italians consider adding parmesan to seafood pasta a culinary sin as it masks the delicate ocean flavors. If the sauce looks too dry, add more reserved pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a glossy consistency. Use a 'bronze-cut' pasta brand, as the rough surface helps the thin wine sauce cling to the noodles.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a crisp, chilled Italian white wine like Gavi di Gavi or a Vermentino. Serve with a side of crusty ciabatta bread to mop up the remaining garlic-wine sauce (the 'scarpetta'). A simple arugula salad with a light lemon vinaigrette provides a peppery contrast to the rich pasta. Keep an empty bowl on the table for guests to discard their clam shells. Finish the meal with a small glass of chilled Limoncello for a true Neapolitan experience.