Jardin & Cuisine

I had a transcendental Linguine Alle Vongole experience outside of Nice, France ten years ago and I have been chasing that experience ever since. It was a sunny, mildly breezy day and I was at a small restaurant in the hilltop town of Eze, overlooking the Côte d’Azur. I was delighted by the light savoriness of the sauce, the delicate flavor of the perfectly cooked clams, and the brightness a few cherry tomatoes and parsley brought to the dish. I know I’ll never be able to recreate that sensational meal and the breathtaking ambiance of that day. Regardless, when I’m feeling nostalgic for my time in France and Italy, and I have an envie for clams and pasta, Linguine Alle Vongole is my sanctuary.

Linguine Alle Vongole traces its roots to coastal Italian kingdoms along the Mediterranean coast in what is today the Campania region. Due to the abundance of seafood in the regions surrounding Naples, clams in broth and hearty soups were common in the middle ages. In 1839, a recipe for vermicelli all’olio con vongole was first published by Ippolito Cavalcanti, the Duke of Buonvicino, in his book Cucina Teorico-pratica. Regional variations exist along the Mediterranean coast. Purists to Italian cuisine may prefer vongole veraci, although this petite species of clam has been over-harvested. Some people substitute palourdes (carpet shell clams), and for this recipe I recommend little neck clams as they are relatively easy to source in North America. Other variations on “Alle Vongole” may include red chili flakes, lemon zest, or crushed San Marzano tomatoes.

The mis en place is simple for this dish. You can use homemade fresh linguine or store bought. Then, all you need to gather are clams (I prefer littleneck clams), cherry tomatoes, fresh parsley, garlic cloves, dry white wine, olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. The dish comes together quickly, so I encourage you to make sure all the ingredients are ready before you begin cooking. I recommend serving Linguine Alle Vongole with a crusty baguette to soak up the white wine-based sauce. Linguine Alle Vongole is a gorgeous dish to serve while entertaining, and its perfect for celebratory occasions.

I’d also like to point out this recipe can be used as a basic template for seafood pasta. Although it’s meant for Linguine Alle Vongole, you can substitute or add scallops or other mild shellfish or seafood if you are feeling adventurous. Just remember to keep the ratio of seafood to pasta and sauce, otherwise you may end up with not enough sauce or pasta. However, as the white wine sauce is delicate, I would not recommend adding more pungently flavored fruits de mer.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds small clams
• 1 pound of fresh or dry linguine
• 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 whole garlic cloves
• 3/4 cup of dry white wine
• 10-12 cherry tomatoes
• Bunch of fresh parsley, stems and chopped leaves
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Steps

1. Scrub the clams over cold water to remove any sand and dirt. If time permits, you can soak the clams beforehand in cold salt water for about an hour to make the scrubbing process easier.
2. Start boiling water for the pasta in a large pot.
3. In a large pre-heated saucepan, add 4 tablespoons olive oil, white wine, garlic cloves, and two stems of fresh parsley. Cover and simmer until the clams open, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the clams from the pan as soon as they open.
5. Discard the parsley stems and strain the cooking juices through a fine mesh sieve. At this time, you can remove the garlic cloves for a more delicate flavor. If you love garlic or want a more robust flavor, leave the garlic in the sauce.
6. Salt and add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook until almost al dente.
7. Reheat the sauce pan and add 4 tablespoons olive oil. Then, return the white wine and clam juices to the pan. Add the tomatoes, clams, and chopped parsley leaves. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
8. Add the pasta to the saucepan and gently combine all ingredients. If the sauce needs more liquid, add a splash of pasta water.
9. Serve immediately with crusty bread.