Clam Linguine

Clam linguine (linguine alle vongole) is a classic Italian coastal dish: fresh clams steamed open in a garlicky white wine sauce, tossed with al dente linguine and a shower of parsley. Simple ingredients, big briny flavor.

By YumYum Editorial · Seafood

Prep: 15 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 35 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed and purged of sand
• 12 oz linguine
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• to taste Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook linguine until just shy of al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a wide deep skillet over medium heat; add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the clams and white wine, cover, and steam over medium-high heat 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the clams open.
4. Discard any clams that remain closed after 8 minutes.
5. Add the drained linguine to the skillet along with butter and a splash of reserved pasta water; toss vigorously over heat 1-2 minutes to emulsify the sauce.
6. Stir in parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice, adding more pasta water if the sauce looks dry.
7. Taste and adjust salt (clams are already salty, so season carefully), then serve immediately in warm bowls.