Sharmila on Food

We interrupt this transmission…

…with a little post about something non-Japan, non-honeymoon related.  I’ll get back to that very shortly (in all honesty, I’m gearing up to blog the mega tasting meal we had in Tokyo - that’s a lot of dishes to talk about).

Whilst it may seem I’ve spent the past few weeks trotting around the globe and not doing very much work, I have managed to resume normal life, which has involved a bit of cooking here and there.  One of the first things that was cooked when we got back to normal world was linguine a la vongole.  I don’t actually eat that much pasta at home anymore (for the simple reason that I just don’t know when to stop eating it), but when I get a craving, it is usually for this. Slurpy linguine, sweet rich clam meat, and a gorgeously simple sauce made of the clam juices, a bit of wine, garlic, chilli and lemon.  Simple as.

When I make this I always use Anna del Conte’s recipe.  She is generally who I turn to in all matters Italian. She uses spaghetti but I prefer linguine. Regardless, this recipe doesn’t disappoint.  Just make sure you soak those clams and give them a good wash. No one likes gritty pasta.  

And isn’t that picture of that pasta lovely?  Dear readers, cherish that picture, for it is but a blooming flower amidst the sludgy weed-like photographs I normally stick up on here.

Linguine a la vongole - taken from Amaretto, Apple Cake and Artichokes by Anna del Conte

Serves 3-4

1kg clams

4tbsp dry white wine

350g linguine or spaghetti 

5tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

grated rind of half a lemon

1 dried chilli, crumbled

salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak your clams in a bowl or sink full of cold water.  Try to leave them for a couple of hours, and agitate the water from time to time to get rid of as much as sand and grit as possible.  Once soaked, discard any clams that remain open, even when you tap them.  If you eat these ones, expect scenes akin to The Exorcist.

2. Put the wine in a large frying pan that has a lid.  Add the clams and cook, covered, over a high heat until the clams are all open.  Shake the pan whilst you are doing so.

3. Once opened, remove the clam meat from the shells.  If any clams remain firmly shut at this point, throw them away.

4. Strain the clam liquor through muslin (really try and strain it through something as fine as possible to ensure no grit gets through) into a small saucepan.  Return this to a high heat and reduce till half of the liquor remains.

5. At this point, cook your pasta in lots of boiling, well salted water.

6. Put the oil, garlic, lemon rind, chilli and half the parsley into a large frying pan and cook over a medium heat until the garlic starts to lightly colour (but don’t brown it or it will taste bitter).

7. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce in this pan.  Mix in the clams and their liquor and stir for a minute or so, making sure all the clams, sauce and pasta are all well combined. Season with salt and pepper.  Then eat up.