This recipe is part of the cooking curriculum for Cooking Italy, a cook along group that cooks mostly from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classical Cooking. It’s a group of friends and food bloggers who want to learn how to cook classic regional Italian cooking. If you are interested in joining, this group, go to Cooking Italy, and email me.

Tonight we had dinner in Venice. Well, not really, but Marcella has shared the recipe for the most delightful and delicious white clam sauce that Cesare Benelli makes at Al Covo, his restaurant in Venice. 

I can see why Marcella would include this dish. It’s success comes from a layering of flavors and there is not too much garlic, but a superb balance of clams, garlic, wine, heat, and herbs. The technique is a bit different from what you might be used to. The clam juice is held back and used to finish off the spaghetti which is cooked super al dente, as it will be finished in a large frying pan.

As a person who loves to cook and eat uncompromised food, I seek out dishes that satisfy my appetite and yet can be made quickly on a Monday night. This version of spaghetti and clams delivers full flavor, and yet takes 30 minutes from start to stop, even though I used live clams, fresh herbs, fresh tomatoes, fresh garlic, and only one box (spaghetti). It was so good, I am already thinking that tomorrow is really not too soon to make this again.

A word about garlic:

The over use of garlic is the most often committed crime in Italian food, equalled only by the overcooking of garlic, which will simply ruin this dish. If your garlic browns, throw it out and start over with new oil. Marcella says a garlic press is an absolute no no.  Take the time to thinly slice and used a medium heat to saute. As soon as you see the garlic has turned from white to bone color, add the rest of your ingredients and move your spoon quickly. Only use fresh garlic, that you peel yourself. Pre-peeled garlic purchased in a big jar gets bitter and nasty tasting quickly. Store garlic in a cool, dry place and buy a little at a time.

A word about chile pepper:

A fresh hot chile pepper is best in this dish. My fresh peppers had dried and were a great second choice.

A word about pasta:

Thin spaghetti is better than angel hair, meaty enough to absorb the clam juice, yet light enough to allow the clams to be the star. You might be tempted to cook the pasta longer, but it will taste so much better if you can trust that it will finish its cooking as it absorbs the clam juice.

A word about clams:

This is Spinach Tiger’s first time bringing you fresh clams. Here are some tips for cleaning and cooking clams. Like mussels, keep in mind they are alive and must be unpackaged immediately upon arriving home, or they will die. Place in the refrigerator in a bowl and my recommendation is to cook the the same day you buy them. Ask your grocer or fish monger what day the fresh seafood arrives and make sure you are getting fresh. Discard any open clams. It takes about 4 minutes to steam clams. Once clams are cooked, they will open up. If they are not open, they may not be cooked, but if the rest of the clams are opened, I would discard them. Do not overcook clams as they will become tough. Clams expel juice during cooking, which is very flavorful.

White or Red?

Clam sauce can be white or red. I prefer the white clam sauce because it’s a brighter dish to me.  And, I think about how good it will be to dip my bread in the bottom of the bowl to sop up all the clam juice and olive oil.  How do you like your clams, red or white?

Recipe adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classical Cooking

Marcella suggests 1 pound pasta and 4 servings - I suggest 1/2 pound pasta and 2 servings

1 1/2 dozen littleneck clams

5 T extra virgin olive oil

2 large garlic cloves

1 1/2 T freshly chopped parsley

Chopped fresh hot chili pepper (2 t or to taste)

1 fresh ripe, firm plum tomato diced 1/2” seeded, juice drained

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 pound pasta  (we used 1/2 pound)

6 fresh basil leaves torn

Note: I have simplified the recipe. I encourage you to buy Marcella’s book to get every detail.

Soak for 20 minutes in fresh cold water. Change the water every five minutes.

During this time, the clams will filter the water and clean the sand.

Steam clams: Reserve clam juice. Take clams out of shell. If they are large, dice.

I like them to be the same size as the tomatoes.

In pan large enough to hold clams and spaghetti, saute garlic in 2 T of olive oil. Do not brown. Add parsley, tomatoes, chile pepper cook for one minute.

Add white wine. Simmer for 20-30 seconds. Turn off heat.

Cook spaghetti in heavily salted water until firm to the bite.

Turn heat back on under the large frying pan. Add drained Spaghetti. Add clam juice.

(Recipe suggests filtering clam juice through paper towels.

I skipped that part, as my clams were pre-cleaned).

Pasta should now be cooked. If it is still undone, add a little water to pan.

Add the diced clams with the remaining olive oil and torn basil leaves.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss and serve immediately.

Cooking Italy: You may visit my friends on the Cooking Italy blog roll to see how they did with this dish. Next week, we will be making  Cappellacci--Ravioli Filled with Sweet Potatoes, page 212.

Recent Cooking Italy Dishes: (See complete photo index here)

Thin Crust Pizza                             Ebogoné: Spaghetti with Cranberry Beans           Bolognese Sauce

Crespelle, Prosciutto, Cheese               Lamb Tidbits                                    Homemade Pasta with Zucchini

Tomato Bruschetta                            Gnocchi, Tomato Butter                                Pesto, Beans, Potatoes

Red Wine Zabaglione                         Sgroppino                                            Marinated Shrimp in Lemon

Key Words:   Marcella Hazan, Italian, Pasta, Clams

Spinach Tiger Entry 116 Angela Robert - Cooking Italy:  Cesar Benelli’s Spaghetti with White Clam Sauce

All original content (outside of adapted recipe) copyright © 2009 Angela Roberts, All Rights Reserved