This is linguine alla vongole, which is clam spaghetti, but much more fun to say. With layers of clam flavor from clam juice, canned clams, and freshly steamed clams, and a rich, herbed wine sauce, this dish is something truly special.
Ingredients
- olive oil: 2 Tbsp (or as needed)
- white onion: 0.25 piece (minced)
- garlic: 2 clove (minced)
- red pepper: 0.5 tsp (crushed)
- dry white wine: 0.75 cup
- bay leaves: 2 piece
- fresh parsley: 1 Tbsp (for garnish, chopped)
- oregano leaves: 1 tsp (fresh)
- thyme leaves: 1 tsp (fresh)
- black pepper: 0.5 tsp (freshly ground)
- salt: 0.5 tsp
- clam juice: 2 bottles (8 ounce bottles)
- clams, drained, juice reserved: 4 cans (6.5 ounce cans, chopped)
- cornstarch: 1 Tbsp (or as needed)
- ounces linguine pasta: 8 piece
- cherrystone or littleneck clams: 12 piece (fresh)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese: 2 Tbsp (or as needed)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
-
Pour a thin layer of olive oil into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper, and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
-
Pour in white wine, bay leaves, parsley, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Increase heat to bring mixture to a simmer; cook until volume is reduced by half.
-
Stir in bottled clam juice, plus clam juice from 3 cans of chopped clams (set chopped clams aside to use later in the recipe). Reduce heat to medium. Combine clam juice from remaining can of chopped clams with cornstarch in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid; place in the refrigerator to use later for thickening sauce.
-
Simmer sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to have the consistency of a sauce, about 20 minutes.
-
While sauce simmers, cook the pasta: bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
-
While pasta cooks, steam the clams: In a pot with a steamer rack, bring water to a boil. Steam whole clams over medium heat, covered, stirring or shaking the pot occasionally until they open, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
-
Now, pull it all together: add chopped canned clams to sauce; cook just until heated, about 3 minutes. If the sauce is still thin, shake the refrigerated clam juice-cornstarch slurry, and pour in a little at a time; cook and stir until just thick enough–the starch from the linguine will also thicken the sauce a little.
-
Toss linguine in the pan with clam sauce and coat evenly. Divide linguine onto individual plates; divide whole clams on top. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
