Spaghetti alle Vongole immediately transports me back to Italy. The simplest of ingredients come together to create the most wonderful, light, briny, herbaceous pasta dish. Notes of white wine, fresh parsley, tomato, fresh clams, garlic, shallots, and crushed red pepper marry together in this Neapolitan classic.
Begin by cleaning the clams. Make sure you wash them really well to remove excess sand and dirt. I like to run them under cold water and rub any grit off of each clam. Set aside in the fridge.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water liberally.
Heat a separate large pot or dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic, shallot, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 30 seconds - 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for another minute or so. Add the clams and stir gently. Add the white wine and increase heat to high. Cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes, reducing the heat as needed. You will know the clams are cooked once they open completely. Discard any clams that do not open.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well, and return to the pot you cooked the pasta in. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the pasta and season with a pinch of salt. Pour the clam mixture over the pasta and toss gently to combine. Finish with the chopped parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.
*Make sure you use a high quality white wine, something you'd enjoy drinking. I used a Chardonnay here.