Spaghetti Cozze e Vongole (Spaghetti with Mussels and Clams)

Pasta with mussels, clams, or other types of seafood is one of my favorite dishes. Easy, quick, and bursting with flavor, it’s a go-to menu option for me. You can find this type of tasty pasta dish on one of our cooking vacations in Italy. Pretty much any coastal region will have a version of pasta with seafood, and this one hails from the Amalfi Coast. Click here for details or to book!

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Spaghetti Cozze e Vongole (Spaghetti with Mussels and Clams)

Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10
Cook method: Sauté

Ingredients

• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 T olive oil
• 1 quart cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 T chopped Italian parsley
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper
• 2 dozen mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 2 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 1 lb spaghetti
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1, Prepare a large pot of water, generously salted, and set to heat.

2, Heat 2 T of olive oil over medium high in a large, heavy skillet. Add the mussels and cover, cooking until they open (2-3 minutes). Remove them, reserving any liquid, then do the same for the clams. Strain and set aside the liquid. Remove the meat from half the mussels, discarding the shells.

3. In the same pan (now dry) add the other 2 T of oil and heat over medium high. Sauté the garlic for 20-30 second, then add the red pepper and half the parsley for 30 seconds more. Add the cherry tomatoes and a pinch of salt cook for a few minutes.

4. Add the wine and cook for 3 more minutes, crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

5. In the meantime, add the pasta to the boiling pasta water and cook according to the package directions, but subtracting 2 minutes from the cooking time. Drain the pasta, reserving a bit of the water, then add to the skillet with the reserved shellfish liquid.

6. Cook for 2 more minutes, adding additional water if necessary. Add the rest of the parsley, the clams and mussels, and give a good toss for 30 seconds.

Serve with a crisp Italian white wine. Buon appetito!

Learn more about the food and wine of Puglia.

See all our cooking vacations in Italy. Or contact us for help with a custom tour.

Try other great pasta recipes from TIK, including:

• Pappardelle with Mushrooms and Sage
• Bucatini con sarde (Bucatini pasta with sardines)
• Gragnano Mezzi Paccheri with Snapper and Peppers
• Pasta alle Vongole e Zucchine (Pasta with Clams and Zucchini)

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