This dish is full of green herbs, blended into a sauce, to really make it fresh tasting. Its a perfect match with the salinity of the clams and the garlicky white wine sauce.
Green Angel Hair alla Vongole
Ingredients
- Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1 pound Small clams such as cockles or manila
- 5 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil separated into 3 tbsp and 2 tbsp
- 4 cloves Garlic thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes optional
- ½ cup Dry white wine
- Small handful Dill fronds
- Small handful Chives
- Small handful Basil
- 4-6 ounces Angel hair pasta
- 1 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1 Lemon
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl or container with cold water and stir in a large amount of kosher salt. For this recipe, I used 1/4 cup. Rinse, then add 1 pound clams to the bowl and let them sit for about 30 minutes, allowing them to purge any sand or grit. Remove from the water once done and rinse again. Discard any clams that are broken or clams that are open and won’t close when tapped.
- Add the small handfuls of dill, parsley, chives, and basil to a blender or food processor with 3 tbsp olive oil. Pulse until a cohesive green sauce is formed.
- In a large pan over medium-low heat, add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Once heated, add 4 cloves sliced garlic along with 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Saute until fragrant and softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the clams to the pan along with 1/4 cup dry white wine. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bring the heat up to high. Check the clams frequently, and remove the clams as they open, setting them in a bowl to the side. Continue until all of the clams have opened. Discard any clams that refuse to open. Reduce heat to a low simmer.
- Optional Step: Remove about half of the clams from their shells. Gently chop that clam meat and set to the side.
- In a separate pot, boil the pasta in lightly salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to the pan that the clams were cooked in. Add 1 tbsp unsalted butter along with the blended green herb sauce. Toss gently until the pasta is fully coated. Turn the heat to medium-low if needed.
- If the pasta seems too dry, add a small amount of pasta water while stirring into the pan. Add the clams and chopped clam meat (if using) back to the pan and gently toss with the pasta. Taste and add salt if needed*. Serve right away, garnishing with a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
