Approximate to where I work, there is this charming little Italian restaurant–Trattoria Amici–with a very friendly hostess that serves some of the best Linguine alle Vongole I’d ever tasted.(The best one is here.)
My good friend E and I chanced upon Trattoria Amici not too long ago, when our Japanese counterparts were in town. Looking at the many choices on the Italian menu, E asked me what to order. I told her “Linguine alle Vongole.” She asked me what that was and I pointed her to the two old ladies sitting beside us (who happened to look like they have been dining at Trattoria Amici for their lifetime), slurping down their servings of linguine alle vongole…(get linguine alle vongole/linguine with clams recipe after the jump)
It was a great choice. E and I finished our order to great satisfaction. Work lunches can be great, sometimes.
Since then, E and I are hooked on linguine alle vongole. We would call or message each other before lunch about our cravings, and then we would make our lunch pilgrimage to “clams”–our code name for linguine alle vongole.
We go to Trattoria Amici at least twice a week for the fix, and each time, we request the server to give us more clams. We would hungrily devour our serving until not a trace left. And then, we would ask for extra serving of the rolls to sob up the clam juice. Lunch has never been so satisfying, but a $25 lunch for worker bees like us turns out to be rather extravagant, especially at the frequency we have.
I told E that one of these days I was going to try making linguine alle vongole at home, and I would share my recipe with her.
My version doesn’t pale much in comparison. It’s delicious, quick, and almost hassle-free to make. And it calls for only a few key ingredients: linguine, clams, and white wine.
Here is my linguine alle vongole recipe, or linguine with clams, a much celebrated Italian recipe. I am happy with the result and that a $25 lunch is now less than $10 to make at home.
You can click on the top image to view the complete photo set of linguine alle vongole. Enjoy!
Serves two
Ingredients:
1/2 cup white wine
6 oz linguine
1 1/2 lbs clams (scrubbed, cleaned, and rinsed)
1/4 cup store-bought clam juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
Some finely chopped parsley leaves
Salt to taste (optional)
Method:
Heat up a pot of water and cook the linguine per the packaging instructions. Transfer and set aside.
Heat up a deep skillet, add olive oil and butter. Lightly saute the garlic and add the clams, white wine, clam juice, and parsley leaves. Lightly stir the clams and cover the skillet with its lid until the clams open up. Remove the lid and add the linguine into the skillet and add salt to taste if it’s not salty enough. Dish out the linguine alle vongole and serve immediately.
Important Cook’s Note:
Readers Nico and Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy (both Italian) suggested we transfer the clams out when they are open, then add the clam juice, white wine, parsley, and reduce the liquid a bit. Please also read Nico’s comment below on how to properly prepare linguine–the Italian way. Really useful tips, must read.
Related Posts:
Get new recipes via RSS and reader or subscribe via email
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Yummy looking. I am going to try making this at home when I can find some fresh clams. Linguine alle vongole is so tasty.
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Eli - yes, you have to get fresh clams for a great linguine alle vongle.
Reply
i love clams/mussels with pasta - it’s just that where we live in Germany we do not get any fresh stuff. so i am hoping our move to Doha this summer will change all that!
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Meeta - that’s so wonderful about the Doha move. Can’t wait to see more seafood dishes on your site. By the way, love the design update on your site. :)
Reply
This is one of my favourites and it’s what my mum used to make us essentially every Saturday… fantastic!
Would you let a pedantic annoying Italian make a little note about the recipe?
I’m a bit scared of “cook the linguine as per packaging instruction”… expecially after what I saw some people do outside of Italy :)
So, what you do is:
1) Use lots of SALTY water (1 fist of rock salt is OK for 3/4 people) and cook pasta in a big pot. Don’t worry, the pasta won’t be too salty, even if the water is.
2) Do NOT put oil in the cooking water. It is unnecessary and IMO leaves an aftertaste that I don’t really like.
3) Don’t put the pasta in the water before it boils. If you do, you’ll end up with mushy pasta. Brrrrr….
4) When you drain the pasta do NOT put it under cold water. Drain it and put it in the sauce as soon as possible (you should really start by doing the sauce, then add the pasta).
I know, I’m annoying, but I’m very touchy about cooking pasta!!! :D
Another slightly different thing I do when I cook clams is to let them open and then add wine and parsley, although I don’t know whether it really makes any difference at all (never tried the other way around).
PS: love your blog and your photos are simply amazing!
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Hi Nico - Thanks so much for your comment and the proper instructions of preparing linguine. I am not so good in making non-Asian recipes. Regarding clams, I will try your method the next time. I think you are right because the white wine might evaporate. Hope to see you more on Rasa Malaysia and your insightful comments. :)
Reply
Beautiful photos, as always. They look look very clean and minimalist.
Yes, the best linguine alle vongole can only be found in Italy. Glad you love the dish.
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Eating 365 - Correct, the best linguine alle vongole I had was in Florence, Italy. Drool.
Reply
Eating365 replied:
The best one I tried in Italy was in Rome, but I am sure everywhere you go in Italy, you will find *the best* linguine alle vongole. It should be the national dish of Italy!
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Yep, I am sure every little town has its best linguine alle vongole.
Reply
Linguine alle Vongole is one of my all time favorite meals! My mother made it often and so do I. Your dish looks so beautiful! I can almost taste it! I agree with everything my fellow Italian, Nico, says. Also, after the clams open up, I like to remove them, add more clam juice and wine and reduce the liquid a bit. For me, this intensifies the clam flavor of the sauce.
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Susan - Good to know about adding wine and clam juice later and reduce the liquid. Thanks for the tips. I will update my recipe. Thanks so much!
Reply
How much clam juice is 1/4 bottle? I can only get canned clam juice here and need measurements. :)
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Bruleeblog - It was a typo, actually I meant 1/4 cup.
Reply
Guess Trattoria Amici will have 2 less VIP customers in future. :) This is my hubby’s favourite. Will bookmark it. Tks for sharing. ;)
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
LK - I will go back to Amici again for sure, there is no turning back now that I am hooked. LOL.
Reply
This is my favorite dish, yours looks so yummy, so many clams !!!
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Janet - yes, I love lots of clams in my linguine alle vongole. Yummy!
Reply
I love, love, love linguine vongole!
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
I will make it for you next time.
Reply
Oh this is my favourite pasta too!
Looks so sophisticated and delicious here!
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Cemmemberu - what’s not to like about linguine alle vongole, it’s too delicious.
Reply
Yes, setting aside the clams when they just “opened up”….then they will be tender, juicy and moist. If not, overcooking them will make them so “rubbery”…..
I need to cook myself some vongole pasta soon :)
Just tried a recipe of yours. Been long overdue on my side.
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Tiga - I remember you love this, when I posted it, I think of you. :)
Reply
This is what I usually like to order when I go to Italian restaurant.. Simple and delish!
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Mycookinghut - yes, it’s delicious, I love it.
Reply
*drowns in drool*
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Mei - LOL. Thanks!
Reply
Hi, mmm, this looks great. Nico’s additions are right on. What kind of clams are you using? Manila clams?
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Ninette - yes, Manila clams.
Reply
Your linguine alle vongole looks sooooo yum!!! I’m definitely trying that one!
Reply
omg! This is my fave pasta, and you make it look so good! Me drooling… I wish wines aren’t so expensive in Singapore ;P
Reply
Gourgeousness :)
And so few ingredients! I might have added some tomatoes too!
Reply
I, too, love a good Linguine alle Vongole! First I need to hunt down clam juice!
Reply
Clams cooked the right way and good sauces - slurrp..love Italian pasta.
Reply
Bee - one word: DROOOL!!!!
Absolutely LOVE pasta with clams! I hope my dad brings back some fresh clams soon for me to cook some :-)
Love your pics as always too!
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Myf - I am sure your father will bring back buckets of clams for you to cook this pasta. ;)
Reply
I luv to try your linguine alle vongole…can the white wine be substitute with something else?
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
CD - you will have to use white wine for this recipe, I am not sure if there is any substitute. Well, that’s part of the reason why it’s so tasty.
Reply
This is my absolute favorite dish… Great photo!
Ciao.
Reply
Rasa Malaysia replied:
Orchidea - grazie. ciao!
Reply
My whole family loves this pasta dish. And I do what Nico and Susan do: cook the clam first and when they open, take them out and put in the wine and parsley and reduce the liquid if necessary. Doing it this way make it unnecessary to add canned clam juice which may not always be available in the supermarket. And since clams are watery by nature, there should be enough juice to go around.
This is mny first time to post a comment although I have been visiting your site for the past 2 years. Your recipes have enriched my kitchen and have made my family and friends very happy. The accompanying photos are always wonderful and a joy to behold.
Reply