Pasta Alle Vongole, also called linguini with clams, is an Italian classic. My version kicks it up a bit, adding shrimp and mussels for a variety of flavors and textures. I also add parmesan and pecorino at the end, making the sauce a bit creamier and in my opinion tastier. Manila clams are optimal, but whatever you can find fresh from your fish monger will do. This quick and easy dish is great for a weeknight and impressive when served to guests.
When you get your seafood home, remove mussels and clams from their wrapping and place them in a colander, and cover with a wet paper towel. Place colander on top of a pie plate filled with ice and keep in the fridge until ready to use. When it's time to cook, clean and devein shrimp, leaving tail intact. Soak clams for 10-15 minutes in cool water with a teaspoon of coarse kosher or rock salt to draw out any sand. Scrub and debeard the mussels.
Fill a medium pot with water and add 2 tablespoons of diamond crystal salt, or a bit less if using another type of salt. The goal is to have the water taste like the sea. I use a medium pot to ensure that the reserved water has a good amount of starch. A larger pot of water has a more diluted amount of starch.
Thinly slice the garlic cloves and set them aside. Coarsely chop the parsley and grate the parmesan and pecorino. Make sure to use the smallest side of a box grater so that your cheese resembles snow.
When water is boiling, toss in your pasta of choice and cook for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions indicate, depending on how al dente you prefer your final dish. I like my pasta with a bit of bite, so I opt for 2 minutes less.
In a large pot, cover the bottom of the pot with a good quality olive oil using about 5 tbsp or so and add the garlic slices. Turn on the heat to medium and once the garlic starts to sizzle, add the red pepper flakes if using.
Add shrimp to the pot, placing them in the pot one by one, leaving room between each, and cook on each side for 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
Immediately add the clams and mussels to the pot and cover with a lid, cooking and shaking the pot for 1 minute. Turn off the burner and slowly add the wine to the pot. When added, turn the heat back on to medium-high and cook clams and mussels for 3-5 minutes, occasionally shaking the pot.
I like using a glass lid so that I can see when the mussels and clams start to open. As they pop open, remove and set them aside in a bowl, giving the others a chance to open. When all have opened and been removed to the bowl, lover heat a bit and reduce the sauce for 2-3 minutes.
Add your pasta from the pasta pot directly to the pan, or if the pasta has finished before clams, add strained pasta to the pan. Make sure to reserve a little over a cup of your pasta water.
Stir very well, adding 1/4 cup of pasta water until incorporated. Add more pasta water once reduced and continue to stir and cook. Add the reserved shrimp, mussels, clams, any accumulated juices, and parslie to the pot and stir to incorporate.
Add all but 1 tbsp of the parmesan and pecorino to the pot, adding another 1/8-1/4 cup of water, and continue to stir. You should not have a pool of sauce in the bottom of the pan so adjust the amount of water accordingly. You'll end up with a silky sauce that coats the pasta. Taste the pasta and season with salt if needed.
In 4 large pasta bowls, using tongs remove portions of pasta and swirl into a bowl. Divide shrimp, clams, and mussels between the bowls. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and pecorino. If using, add a little squeeze of lemon and serve.
Ingredients
Directions
When you get your seafood home, remove mussels and clams from their wrapping and place them in a colander, and cover with a wet paper towel. Place colander on top of a pie plate filled with ice and keep in the fridge until ready to use. When it's time to cook, clean and devein shrimp, leaving tail intact. Soak clams for 10-15 minutes in cool water with a teaspoon of coarse kosher or rock salt to draw out any sand. Scrub and debeard the mussels.
Fill a medium pot with water and add 2 tablespoons of diamond crystal salt, or a bit less if using another type of salt. The goal is to have the water taste like the sea. I use a medium pot to ensure that the reserved water has a good amount of starch. A larger pot of water has a more diluted amount of starch.
Thinly slice the garlic cloves and set them aside. Coarsely chop the parsley and grate the parmesan and pecorino. Make sure to use the smallest side of a box grater so that your cheese resembles snow.
When water is boiling, toss in your pasta of choice and cook for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions indicate, depending on how al dente you prefer your final dish. I like my pasta with a bit of bite, so I opt for 2 minutes less.
In a large pot, cover the bottom of the pot with a good quality olive oil using about 5 tbsp or so and add the garlic slices. Turn on the heat to medium and once the garlic starts to sizzle, add the red pepper flakes if using.
Add shrimp to the pot, placing them in the pot one by one, leaving room between each, and cook on each side for 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
Immediately add the clams and mussels to the pot and cover with a lid, cooking and shaking the pot for 1 minute. Turn off the burner and slowly add the wine to the pot. When added, turn the heat back on to medium-high and cook clams and mussels for 3-5 minutes, occasionally shaking the pot.
I like using a glass lid so that I can see when the mussels and clams start to open. As they pop open, remove and set them aside in a bowl, giving the others a chance to open. When all have opened and been removed to the bowl, lover heat a bit and reduce the sauce for 2-3 minutes.
Add your pasta from the pasta pot directly to the pan, or if the pasta has finished before clams, add strained pasta to the pan. Make sure to reserve a little over a cup of your pasta water.
Stir very well, adding 1/4 cup of pasta water until incorporated. Add more pasta water once reduced and continue to stir and cook. Add the reserved shrimp, mussels, clams, any accumulated juices, and parslie to the pot and stir to incorporate.
Add all but 1 tbsp of the parmesan and pecorino to the pot, adding another 1/8-1/4 cup of water, and continue to stir. You should not have a pool of sauce in the bottom of the pan so adjust the amount of water accordingly. You'll end up with a silky sauce that coats the pasta. Taste the pasta and season with salt if needed.
In 4 large pasta bowls, using tongs remove portions of pasta and swirl into a bowl. Divide shrimp, clams, and mussels between the bowls. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and pecorino. If using, add a little squeeze of lemon and serve.