Spaghetti alle Vongole (Spaghetti with Clams)

By junerodgers

Chef Bartolotta is the chef at Winn's Las Vegas. He serves a variation at Winn call Bartolotta

Bartolotta's Tips:

“Always make sure that the relationship between the amount of pasta and the amount of water is heavily weighted on the side of water so it stays at a boil. And everybody’s afraid to salt the water for pasta—I’m not really sure why. Salted water, please.”

“Cook your pasta to only between 80 and 90 percent done, and never rinse it. Instead, add it to the sauce, and cook it the last 10% together. Net result—the natural starch on the pasta allows it to bind to whatever sauce you cook it in. Therefore, you can cook with less fat.

Ingredients

• 48 Manila (or littleneck) clams
• 9 oz spaghetti
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Details

Adapted from dashrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Wash clams carefully.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add spaghetti and cook about 8 minutes, until it’s al dente. Drain but do not rinse.

3. In a large pan, sauté garlic in 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high until translucent. Add clams; season with salt and crushed red pepper.

4. Add white wine; cook over medium-high about 5 minutes, or until clams steam open and liquid is reduced by half.

5. Add cherry tomatoes; cook until soft.

6. Gently toss with cooked pasta; add parsley and drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Serve immediately.