Sometimes dinner plans happen because you've carefully planned a menu. And sometimes dinner plans happen because you walk past the seafood section and a box of clams catches your eye. This was the second kind.
I was doing one of my usual supermarket wanderings, not really looking for anything in particular, just seeing what looked good that day, when I spotted a lovely box of fresh clams. They looked fantastic. So naturally, dinner became vongole.
The only problem is that clams don't really come in 'single person' quantities. This particular box was just shy of 450g, and there was absolutely no chance I was going to cook half and leave the rest sitting around. So I committed. All the clams. One dinner. No regrets.
Thankfully, vongole is one of those dishes that feels much fancier than it actually is. Most of the work is done by the clams themselves. They create their own broth, the garlic perfumes the butter, and the pasta absorbs all of it. I happened to have some lovely spaghetti at home from Scoop, so dinner practically made itself.
The only adjustment I made was keeping the pasta slightly restrained. When you're working with nearly 450g of clams, the clams should be the star of the show. The coriander isn't traditional, but I love it here. It adds freshness and colour without getting in the way of the shellfish.
Ingredients
- 444g fresh clams, shell-on
- 85g thin spaghetti or spaghettini
- 20g butter
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Large handful coriander, roughly chopped
- ¼–½ tsp chilli flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼–½ cup pasta water
- Optional: lemon zest, lemon juice, grated parmesan
Method
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions (about 7 minutes for spaghettini). Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, rinse the clams thoroughly under cold running water.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Allow to foam gently and begin turning lightly golden. Add the sliced garlic. Cook until fragrant and lightly golden around the edges.
- Add the clams to the pan. Toss through the garlic butter. Add a splash of pasta water. Cover with a lid. Cook for about 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
- Once the clams have opened, remove the lid. Discard any clams that remain closed.
- Add the drained pasta directly to the pan. Add most of the coriander. Toss everything together thoroughly. Add more pasta water if needed — the goal is a light butter-garlic emulsion rather than a dry pasta dish. Cover briefly for 1–2 minutes and allow the coriander to soften slightly from the residual heat.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Scatter over the remaining coriander. Finish with black pepper and chilli flakes. Add a little lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving if using.
Thin spaghetti or spaghettini works best.
Coriander can be replaced with parsley if you prefer a more traditional flavour profile.
Fresh clams matter here. They're the entire point of the dish.
Don't overcook the clams.
Keep extra pasta water nearby in case the sauce tightens up.
This recipe is proof that cooking for one doesn't have to mean tiny portions. Sometimes the supermarket gives you a box of clams and the correct answer is simply to eat all the clams.
The 85g of pasta is deliberate. It's enough to feel like a proper meal, but not so much that it overwhelms the shellfish. If you have two pans, the whole thing comes together in about 20–30 minutes. If you only have one, cook the pasta first and keep a little of the cooking water aside.
I occasionally add lemon. I occasionally add parmesan. But honestly, most of the time I don't bother. The clams are already doing plenty.
The clams create a natural broth as they steam, giving you a sauce without needing stock or cream. The garlic gently browns in butter, creating a rich base that perfumes the entire dish.
The pasta water helps emulsify the butter and clam liquor into a silky sauce that clings to the noodles. The coriander adds freshness and lifts the richness without overwhelming the delicate flavour of the clams.
At the kitchen counter. Trying to convince myself that 444g of clams was a perfectly reasonable amount for one person. It was.
Honestly? Nothing. Maybe buy another box of clams if they're looking particularly good. But otherwise, this is one of those rare recipes that came together exactly as intended.
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