How did I miss the amazing seafood pasta in Italy during previous trips?  Must have been a lack of adequate Italian vocabulary.  I love both the traditional spaghetti alle vongole (in a simple white clam sauce) available at most Roman restaurant

as well as the various mixed seafood  and tomato based versions I tried in the Amalfi Coast.

I decided it would be one of the first new Italian recipes that I would learn to make.  Since it was my first time attempting a seafood pasta, I kept it simple and went with a simple clam sauce with cherry tomatoes.  There is an amazing little seafood shop right in Monti where I found fresh clams.  Otherwise, the Esquilino market always has a wide variety of fresh seafood too.    

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Spicy Linguine in Clam Sauce (Pasta alle Vongole e Pomodorini)

Slightly spicier version of the classic Roman Pasta alle Vongole.

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Italian

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 1 kg clams scrubbed
• 1 box dry pasta spaghetti or linguine
• 300 grams cherry tomatoes chopped
• 6-7 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 cup parsley chopped
• 1.5 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp butter
• basil leaves (for garnish)
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Course Main Dish Cuisine Italian Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings people Ingredients 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin 1 kg clams scrubbed 1 box dry pasta spaghetti or linguine 300 grams cherry tomatoes chopped 6-7 cloves garlic sliced 1 cup parsley chopped 1.5 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste) 1 tbsp butter basil leaves (for garnish) salt and pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Scrub clams and let the water drain. Boil pasta in large pot with salted water until just al dente - about a minute or two less than package cooking instructions. Reserve 1.5 cups of the pasta water before draining.

   
2. Chop cherry tomatoes and parsley and slice garlic while the pasta is cooking. I like to quarter the tomatoes.

   
3. Heat olive oil in a large pot as pasta finishes boiling. Add garlic and chili flakes and cook over medium-high heat for one minute. Add the tomatoes and reserved pasta water and bring to boil. (Note: traditional Italian recipes call for both white wine and reserved pasta water.  I substituted the wine with just reserved pasta water.)

   
4. Add clams and cover with lid. Raise the heat and cook for 5-7 minutes until the clams open. Uncover and remove any unopened clams.
5. Toss in pasta, butter, and parsley. Coat with clam sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

   
6. Garnish with parsley and basil leaves. (I also added more chili flakes - but I like my pasta extra spicy).

   

Recipe Notes

Buon Appettito!

 

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