Happy 50th Birthday to my One and Only Hubby - here is your favorite Spaghetti with Clams (spaghetti alla vongole)

Spaghetti with Clams (spaghetti alla vongole)

September 8, 2011 

Spaghetti with clams, or spaghetti con vongole, is my hubby's favorite Italian pasta dishe.

Spaghetti alla Clams
serves four

• 1 pound dried spaghetti noodles (whole wheat spaghetti) and/or regular
• 1 pound manila clams (in shell)
• 1 cans (6.5 oz each) of chopped clams, including liquid
• 1 can (10 oz) whole baby clams, drained (reserve 1/2 liquid)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (make sure you can drink it, or else don't add just for cooking - surely will ruin your meal)
• 1/2 cup fresh Italian leaf parsley, rough chopped
• Sea salt, to taste
• fresh ground Black pepper, to taste
• Lemon zest for garnish

1. Cook pasta until al dente; about 7 to 8 minutes. stir the pasta as soon as it is added to the water to prevent it from sticking together. Remove pasta from water, reserve pasta water.
2. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan and add shallots and garlic. Don’t let the garlic burn. Allow the shallots to cook until translucent and tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add fresh manila clams in shell with white wine, cover pan and steam for 7 minutes or until clam shells have opened.

3. No need to transfer spaghetti alla vongole to serving bowl. Serve right from pan and Garnish with fresh lemon zest and the remainder of the fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!


This is the best meal - the whole family eats it, no improvising for my vegetarian daughter.  Garlic bread and Ensalada are a welcomed addition -

Happy Birthday to my love, father of my two wonderful, beautiful children and my best friend (sorry Shelly and Sophie, oh and Pee Pee, Claudine, Rose, Mare, Jacko and Deb A.  thems the facts).  Love you all and Eat Well xoxo