Sadly, the Ligurian coast lacks an abundance of fish, and therefore, traditional cuisine doesn't showcase the diverse array of fish dishes found just a few kilometres away in France or other regions of Italy. Stoccafisso (salt cod) is a local delicacy, but it's anchovies, sardines, and shellfish that truly shine as the piscine stars in the Ligurian diet.
One dish that graces the menu of almost every restaurant in the region is Spaghetti alle Vongole. However, in true Italian fashion, there are numerous ways to prepare it, with passionate debates about the best approach. We prefer it 'Bianco,' without tomato but with extra chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon, occasionally adding the zest for an extra kick. Some enthusiasts include a knob of butter along with the oil.
Here on our coast, when you order vongole, anticipate a medley that includes mussels and various shellfish—essentially, whatever was available that morning at the fish market.
Prep Time 15 Minutes
Serves 2
Cook Time 15 Minutes
Difficulty Easy
Ingredients
- Vongole (clams), mussels, or a mixture of the two: 1 kg/2.2 lb
- Nudo extra virgin olive oil: a generous glug
- 3 cloves garlic
- A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
- White wine: 1 glass or roughly 100 ml/3.3 fl oz
- Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
- Dried spaghetti: 400g/14oz
Method
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Rinse the vongole under cold running water to remove debris. Discard any that aren't tightly closed. Soak them in cold salty water for about an hour to eliminate sand, then rinse under cold water until clean.
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Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salted boiling water with the lid on until it is al dente.
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Finely slice the parsley stalks and roughly chop the leaves. Peel and chop the garlic.
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Measure out 100 ml of white wine.
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In a pan, add a generous lug of Nudo extra virgin olive oil. Fry the garlic and parsley stalks for about 5 minutes until soft, keeping the heat low to avoid catching.
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Drain the vongole and turn up the heat on the pan. Add the vongole, giving the pan a good shake. As it starts to steam, pour in the wine and put on the lid. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the vongole has opened. Discard any that remain closed.
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Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan of vongole.
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Add the parsley leaves and a generous drizzle of Nudo extra virgin olive oil. Toss it around in the pan for a few minutes, mixing it all together so that the juice absorbs into the pasta.
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Serve with plenty of fresh crusty bread to soak up the juice.