Spaghetti alle vongole, that classic Italian dish of briny fresh clams cooked in white wine has the wondrous ability to transport you directly to a small Italian coastal village at first bite. It epitomizes the beauty of Italian cuisine – simple yet deeply satisfying created from just a handful of ultra-fresh ingredients. Unlike mussels, clams are extremely easy to prepare, so this dish can be thrown together in under 20 minutes, and you’ll be relaxing in the Bay of Naples in no time at all. 

Nourish notes: Another reason we love clams is that they have numerous positive impacts on the environment. They cleverly convert atmospheric carbon dioxide (co2) dissolved in seawater into calcium carbonate to create their shells, locking the CO2 away indefinitely. They are also known to have a positive impact on water quality around where they are growing, filtering the water as they feed. In addition, farmed clams don’t require any additional feed (as, problematically, farmed fish do) and harvesting generally has very low impacts on the environment. Seafood Watch rates wild clams harvested by hand or farmed clams as ‘best choice’. Make sure to buy clams that are native to their environment (to avoid negative impacts from invasive non-native species). Look for the Marine/Aqua Stewardship Council (MSC / ASC) labels to be sure.

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Serves 4   |   Equipment: A 6-quart pasta pot; a large saucepan

Ingredients

2 pounds (1 kg) fresh, sustainably grown/harvested clams
4 tablespoon coarse sea salt
500 g Italian spaghetti
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons white wine
Fine sea salt to taste
4 tablespoons finely minced parsley leaves
Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
Dried chili flakes, to serve (optional)

 Method

1. Rinse the clams under cold water then place them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the coarse sea salt and leave to soak for 10 minutes to allow the clams to rinse themselves of sand. Discard any clams that are open, as they will be dead and no longer fresh.

2. In the pasta pot, bring 5 quarts (5 l) of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the remaining coarse sea salt and the pasta, stirring to prevent the pasta from sticking. Cook for 1 minute less than the cooking instructions indicate for al dente, until almost tender but still firm to the bite.

3. While the pasta is cooking, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in the large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and gently fry until just beginning to color. Drain the clams of their saltwater brine, rinse with cold water to wash away any residual sand, then add the shells to the saucepan, stirring for about 30 seconds. Add the wine, cover and steam the clams for 2-4 minutes until they pop wide open. Discard any clams that have not opened. Turn off the heat so as to not overcook the clams.

4. Remove about two thirds of the clams from their shells, adding them to the wine sauce and discarding the empty shells.

5. Drain the pasta and add immediately to the pan containing the clam sauce, tossing to coat the spaghetti. Over medium heat, continue cooking the spaghetti in the sauce for about 1 minute to allow the sauce to absorb into the pasta. To serve, scatter with the minced parsley leaves, lemon zest and chili flakes, if using.

This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
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