Spaghetti Vongole Recipe

Nothing quite spells the start of autumn than cosying up under a blanket, candles lit, and a cooking show on the box.

Last night I watched Rick Stein’s From Venice to Istanbul (BBC iPlayer) which was filled with lots of beautiful scenery and recipes, followed by Remarkable Places to Eat with Fred Sirieix (More4). I mean, I ate two slices of toast while I watched but I am feeling inspired…

Spaghetti Vongole:

Ingredients:

350g spaghetti

450g fresh clams, cleaned

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon red chilli flakes (adjust to taste)

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red chilli flakes. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.

Add the cleaned clams to the pan and pour in the white wine. Cover the pan and let the clams steam for about 5-7 minutes, or until they open. Discard any clams that remain closed.

Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan with the clams. Toss everything together to combine and coat the pasta with the flavourful sauce.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste. If the sauce seems too dry, you can add a bit of pasta cooking water to loosen it up.

Stir in the chopped parsley and serve.