Pasta con Vongole

 

Deciding which dish to highlight in the very first post of a new food blog was quite the task. In the end, I have decided to go with a tried and true family favourite that I've blogged about before and fed many with - Pasta con Vongole (Pasta with Clams). Hopefully, my iPhone food photography skills will improve as the blog develops. These photos are ones I have previously taken of this dish.

This recipe is adapted from Neil Perry's classic dish and is not only delicious, but also quick and easy! The quantities are also easily adjustable to suit taste and number of people you need to feed.


Pasta con Vongole

Serves 4

400g dried pasta (I prefer fettuccine which is the long, flat pasta)

1kg Vongole/clams  (I've used fresh clams but have found the frozen New Zealand clams the best)

125ml Light Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2-3 cloves garlic (may adjust to personal preference)

1 punnet cherry tomatoes, chopped in half

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes (may adjust to personal preference)

60ml white wine

Small handful of chopped flat leaf parsley

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

1. Start by rinsing the clams under cold water and then set aside. It doesn't take long to go through each individually. I discard any with really broken shells to avoid any grittiness or bits of shell in the dish. I find the fresh clams are more prone to breakages.

 



2. Heat the olive oil on a medium heat in a large saucepan that has a lid.

 

3. Crush the garlic, add it to the oil and fry. Make sure you keep an eye on it, otherwise garlic will burn and dish will be ruined. I've burnt the garlic on a couple of occasions and have just ditched it and started it over.

 

4. Throw in the cherry tomatoes and fry for a couple of minutes, again being mindful of not letting the previously added garlic burn. If need be, turn the heat down.

 

5. Add chilli flakes and white wine and turn the heat up to bring to the boil.

 

6. Add the clams and cover. Steam over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until the shells open.

 

7. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until cooked to your liking, then drain well.

 

8. Add the pasta and chopped parsley to the saucepan with clams and toss through.

 

9. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss through again and serve.

 

 

Have you had a variation of this dish somewhere?