My favourite memory of eating Spaghetti Vongole
The best Spaghetti Vongole I have ever eaten was in Genoa, Italy. This was after spending a really hot day swimming in the beautiful Ligurian Sea. We went out that evening and sat at a restaurant on the promenade overlooking the water. There, we ate this elegant dish. I remember the clams were really tiny and actually quite sweet. The dish was so delicious in its simplicity. We drank a bottle of crisp white wine with our Spaghetti Vongole and watched the locals on their evening walks along the promenade. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
Simple good quality ingredients
There is not really very much to this dish in terms of ingredients. That is why it’s important to make sure they are good quality. It is essentially just spaghetti with white wine and clams and a few other aromatics, so the clams need to be fresh! I won’t make this dish if I can’t get fresh clams from my fishmonger. Frozen just don’t cut it in my opinion. So, if fresh are not available I make something else.
Why make Spaghetti Vongole?
When you eat Spaghetti Vongole you feel like you are having something special and fancy. But the truth is it’s quick, economical, and really easy to prepare. This makes it the perfect meal for when you are entertaining. Your guests will be blown away, but you don’t have to break the bank or a sweat.
To Pangrattato or not Pangrattato?
The Pangrattato for this Spaghetti Vongole recipe is optional. In fact, when I had it that evening in Genoa there was no Pangrattato. However, since I have been making this dish myself for many years now, I feel the Pangrattato adds a lovely textural and fragrant element to the dish. It elevates it even further.
What is Pangrattato? It’s a mixture of breadcrumbs, garlic, herbs, seasoning, and lemon zest. It is sprinkled over many different dishes in Italy, including pasta. Some call it the poor man’s parmesan because people would use it when they could not afford to buy the cheese. That said, Italians wouldn’t be caught dead sprinkling parmesan over any type of seafood pasta. This is why Pangrattato is the perfect accompaniment. Plus, it’s also a great way to use up stale bread that might otherwise have been thrown away. Try it with and without and see what you prefer.
Final Thoughts
So what are you waiting for? Transport your taste buds to the sunny shores of Italy with our Spaghetti Vongole with Pangrattato recipe. This classic dish is sure to impress with its perfect balance of briny clams, al dente pasta, and crispy breadcrumb topping. Elevate your culinary skills and treat yourself to a taste of the Mediterranean right in your own home!
Buon appetito!
If you are looking for more delicious seafood pasta recipes try this amazing Prawn Pasta with Prawn Oil recipe!
Spaghetti Vongole with Pangrattato
Equipment
- 1 large fry pan with a lid
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 oven tray
Ingredients
Spaghetti Vongole
- 750 grams vongole
- 5 tbsp sea salt
- 300 grams spaghetti
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 bunch parsley stalks and leaves separated and both finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- 1 lemon optional
Pangrattato
- 2 cups stale bread cubed
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 sprig rosemary
Instructions
Pangrattato
- Pre heat a fan forced oven to 180℃
- Combine, bread, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil in a large bowl and mix well until all pieces of bread are coated evenly.
- Place breadcrumb mixture on a lined baking tray and sprinkle rosemary on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then allow to cool for 5 minutes on the tray.
- Use a rolling pin or a mallet to gently bash the breadcrumbs to a fine crumb and then set aside in a bowl until you are ready to use. Alternatively you can use a food processor.
Spaghetti Vongole
- Start by purging the clams. Add clams to a large bowl filled with water and 3 tablespoons of sea salt. Pop in the fridge for an hour, then drain. Now the clams are ready to use.
- Bring a large saucepan filled with water and 1 tablespoon of sea salt to the boil and add the spaghetti, cook for 10 minutes.
- While your pasta is cooking prepare the clams.
- Add olive oil to a large fry pan over medium heat, then add parsley stalks and garlic and fry for 1 – 2 minutes, until garlic is fragrant and translucent but not coloured.
- Add clams to the pan and stir fry for 1 minutes with the garlic and parsley to incorporate the flavours.
- Add wine to the clams, a good pinch of salt and pepper and then the butter and stir to combine. Then cover with a lid and cook for two – three minutes until all clams have opened.
- Remove the lid, and stir through chopped parsley leaves.
- Then add the spaghetti straight from its pot into the fry pan, using a pair of tongs, along with 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Cook for a further 30 seconds, whilst stirring to combine.
- Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 2 minutes, so that the flavours soak into the pasta.
To serve
- Place Spaghetti Vongole on a serving platter and scatter with extra parsley and Pangrattato. Serve lemon wedges on the side.
Video
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