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Spaghetti vongole

James Martin's take on Spaghetti vongole from Saturday Kitchen
SERVES 4

50g/2oz butter
5 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
4 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g/1lb 2oz spaghetti
5 tbsp olive oil
1kg/2lb 2oz razor clams, washed, rinsed
200ml/7fl oz white wine
150g/5oz semi-cured chorizo, finely diced
2kg/4lb 4oz clams, washed, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 dried chilli, finely chopped
1 fresh red chilli, finely diced

Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the breadcrumbs until golden-brown and crisp.

Stir in half of the parsley, thyme, salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix until well combined.

Cook the spaghetti, according to packet instructions, in a large pot of salted water. Drain, mix with three tablespoons of the oil and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a lidded frying pan and add the razor clams and half of the wine. Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes until all of the clams have opened.

Strain the razor clams and reserve the cooking liquid. Remove the razor clams from their shells and discard the intestine. Chop the razor clams and set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in the frying pan used to cook the razor clams and fry the chorizo for 2-3 minutes or until the oil is coloured. Add the uncooked clams, remaining white wine, garlic and chillies. Cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the clams have opened. (Discard any clams that haven’t opened.)

Add the reserved chopped razor clams, reserved cooking liquor and cooked spaghetti. Mix until well combined. Stir in half of the parsley.

Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, spoon the spaghetti into each of four serving bowls, spoon over any juices and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs.

Spaghetti alle Vongole

The briny juices from the clams help to flavor this brothy sauce—the fresher the clams, the better the dish.
From bonappetit.com

Kosher salt
6 oz.spaghetti
4 Tbsp.extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tsp.crushed red pepper flakes
1/4cupwhite wine
2 lb.cockles, Manila clams, or littlenecks, scrubbed
2 Tbsp.roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season lightly with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, swirling pan often, until just golden. Add red pepper flakes and continue cooking 15 more seconds. Add wine, then clams; increase heat to high. Cover skillet and cook until clams open and release their juices, 3-6 minutes, depending on size of clams. As clams open, use tongs to transfer them to a bowl.

Add 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to skillet; bring to a boil. Add pasta to pan. Cook over high heat, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and has soaked up some of the sauce from the pan. Add clams and any juices from bowl to pan, along with parsley, and toss to combine. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.) Transfer pasta to warm bowls and drizzle with remaining oil.

vongole

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