Vongole Recipes Rick Stein Food

PASTA ALLE VONGOLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and saute until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown. Add the white wine and clams, increase the heat to high and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the clams have opened, about 8 minutes. As the clams open, transfer them to a large bowl. When all of the clams are removed, reduce the heat to medium low, add the oregano and swirl in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to the package direction. Using tongs, transfer the linguine to the saute pan with the clam juice and toss to coat. Turn off the heat and add the clams and any juices that have collected in the bowl. Using tongs, turn the linguine to coat it with the sauce. Top with parsley. Serve immediately.

VONGOLE PIZZA WITH ANDOUILLE, CLAMS AND SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Cook sausage in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned and crisp. Remove from heat.
• Press the thawed dough into a 15-inch circle. Top dough with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Top with chopped scallops, baby clams and half of the sausage, then both cheeses. Sprinkle with dried oregano. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese melts.

EASY SPAGHETTI VONGOLE

Steps:

• Scrub the clams, discarding any that stay open when tapped sharply.
• Place the clams into a pan over a high heat. Add two tablespoons of water, cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until all the shells have opened. Discard any clams which have not opened after five minutes.
• Remove the clam flesh from the shells and dip them quickly into their cooking water to rinse off any sand. Strain the clam juices from the pan through a sieve lined with muslin or kitchen paper and save the liquid.
• Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and fry until the garlic begins to colour, then add the anchovy paste and parsley and stir-fry for about 30 seconds.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and the strained clam juices (if you are using a jar of clams, use the brine from the jar). Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
• Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions and drain.
• When ready to serve, add the clam flesh to the tomato sauce and stir well. Mix the sauce into the cooked spaghetti.
• To serve, spoon the sauce and spaghetti into bowls.

MARTHA'S SPAGHETTI ALLE VONGOLE

Steps:

• Roasted-Garlic Butter: Mash together butter, garlic confit, and lemon zest. Season with salt. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 3 months. (Makes 1/2 cup.)
• Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until slightly less than al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat garlic with oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high until just golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, transferring each slice to a plate when browned. Add pepper flakes and tomatoes to skillet; cook until tomatoes soften a bit, about 3 minutes.
• Add wine and bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add clam juice and return to a boil. Add clams, cover, and cook 20 seconds. Uncover and cook, removing clams to a large bowl as they open, 3 to 4 minutes. Discard unopened clams.
• Add pasta, parsley, 1/2 cup pasta water, and 3 tablespoons garlic butter to skillet (reserve remaining garlic butter for another use). Cook, stirring, until pasta is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese and stir, adding more pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce. Pour over clams; toss to combine. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with garlic slices and more cheese and parsley; serve.