Spaghetti Vongole with Pangrattato (Spaghetti with Clams and Garlic)
Recipe Mari Loewen, Styling Carol Dudar
My daughter and I were walking in the West Village after seeing “Back from the Vatican,” a funny, fantastic show.
It was our third night in NYC, and we still hadn’t had Italian so the striped awnings of Little Italy beckoned. We found a buzzy spot, snagged two seats at the bar and settled into the menu.
Spaghetti Vongole caught my eye. Clams, garlic, chilli, white wine and pangrattato.
What's pangrattato? I google it: Fried Italian breadcrumb topping. Perfect!
My vongole arrives. Pangratatto covers the plate, clam shells peek out. It smells like heaven.
I twirl my fork into pasta. It's al dente perfection: thin, sticky almost, but still with a bite. The sauce is thick with wine and garlic and specks of peppers, bits of crispy breadcrumbs clinging to every strand. I make sure to add a clam to my fork and take the bite. It's shockingly good. I eat the entire dish.
Learn to cook this incredible, restaurant-worthy Spaghetti Vongole — and get transported to that unforgettable night in New York City… and the dish I will never forget.
Ingredients
400 g dried best-quality spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, skins on, crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 anchovy fillets
1 kg littleneck clams, scrubbed
250 ml white wine
½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley (15g), finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoons to serve
Pangrattato (Herbed Italian Breadcrumbs)
7 ounces (200 grams) stale bread, ground
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh curly parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine salt
Preparation
For Pangrattato, in skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook until golden, then remove and discard. Add breadcrumbs and salt; cook, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley. Cool completely and set aside.
Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti until just al dente. Drain well; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and anchovies; cook 2 minutes until fragrant and anchovies melt into the oil. Add wine and swirl pan. Add clams; cover and simmer until clams open, about 5 minutes. Strain mixture through large mesh strainer. Remove clams; discard any that remain closed. Remove half of clams from shells and set aside.
Return same skillet to medium-high heat. Add strained juices, spaghetti, ½ cup pasta water, and chopped parsley. Toss until spaghetti absorbs juices, about 1 minute. Add shelled and unshelled clams; cook 1 minute.
To serve, twirl pasta into bowls with tongs. Spoon sauce and unshelled clams over top. Finish with toasted breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parsley. Top wth a few shelled clams on top. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
