Spaghetti alle Vongole (Spaghetti alle Vongole in Bianco)

Spaghetti alle Vongole is the quintessential dish of Naples and the Campanian coast — a celebration of the sea's simplest gifts. "In bianco" means without tomato, relying instead on clam juices, white wine, garlic, and olive oil to create a briny, clean sauce that is one of Italian cooking's most elegant achievements.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400 g (14 oz) spaghetti
• 1 kg (2¼ lb) fresh small clams (vongole veraci), scrubbed
• 6 tbsp (90 ml) good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 small dried red chilli (peperoncino), crumbled
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine
• 1 large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Purge the clams: Soak in cold salted water for 30 minutes to expel sand, then rinse thoroughly and discard any that are open and don't close when tapped.
2. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Cook spaghetti 2 minutes less than the package directions (it will finish in the sauce).
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large, wide pan over medium heat. Add garlic and chilli and cook gently 2 minutes until the garlic is golden and fragrant — do not allow it to brown.
4. Add the clams and white wine together. Increase heat to high, cover tightly, and steam for 3–5 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until all clams have opened. Discard any that remain shut.
5. Using tongs, transfer the al dente spaghetti directly to the clam pan along with 100 ml (⅓ cup) of the pasta cooking water. Toss vigorously over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, allowing the pasta to finish cooking and the sauce to emulsify and coat the strands.
6. Remove from heat, add parsley and a generous drizzle of fresh olive oil, and toss once more. Season with black pepper (go easy on salt — the clam liquor is already briny). Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes: The pasta water is essential for emulsification — the starch binds the oil and clam juices into a cohesive sauce. Never use canned clams for this dish. The entire cook from clams to table should take no more than 15 minutes.