Spaghetti with Clams

By norsegal8

Spaghetti with clams is very different from spaghetti with clam sauce. The former is a dish with a light, fragrant dressing tossed with whole clams. It is also beautiful on the table; there's something about the way the shells combined with the pasta that just looks so satisfying. And satisfying it is. You could also use mussels, for a twist, or small New Zealand cockles, whose refined shape and delicate flavor make for a more elegant version.

Ingredients

• salt
• 1 lb. dried spaghetti
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 lbs. Manila clams, scrubbed clean
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• zest of 1 lemon

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

BRING A LARGE POT of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. When almost smoking, add the shallots and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the garlic is golden brown and the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes (being careful not to burn the garlic). Add the clams, wine, 2 Tbsp. of the parsley and 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until most of the clams have opened, about 6 minutes (discard any shellfish that do not open). Whisk in the butter to thicken the sauce slightly.

Drain the spaghetti, reserving 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid. Do not rinse the spaghetti with water. Toss the spaghetti with the clam mixture to coat. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten.

Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the pasta. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.