Linguine with clams and crispy peppers

Ingredients

• 320 glinguine
• 1.5 kgclams
• 1 clovegarlic
• 3parsley stems
• as neededdry white wine
• 1 tablespoonanchovy colatura
• as neededlemon zest
• as neededextra-virgin olive oil
• as neededfine salt
• as neededblack pepper
• 100 g, softenedbutter
• 40 gparsley leaves
• 100 gextra-virgin olive oil
• 1 clovegarlic
• 10 gdried peppers
• 100 gstale bread
• as neededextra-virgin olive oil
• as neededfine salt
• 300 gpeanut oil, for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Purge the clams

   Soak the clams in cold water with coarse salt for 1 hour, using salt equal to 10% of the water’s weight. Drain them once purged.

2. 2

   Open the clams

   Warm a splash of olive oil in a pan with the parsley stems, 1 unpeeled garlic clove and the dried peppers cut in half. Once the oil is very hot, add the clams and cover straight away.

3. 3

   Save the cooking liquid

   After about 1 minute, add white wine, cover again and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the clams open. Turn off the heat and strain them, catching the cooking liquid in a bowl for later.

4. 4

   Make parsley butter

   Remove the clam meat and discard the empty shells and any clams that stayed closed. Cover the meat with a little cooking liquid so it does not dry out, then refrigerate it. Finely chop only the parsley leaves and mix them with the butter, which should have softened at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Chill the butter

   Mix the parsley and butter thoroughly with a spatula, cover with cling film and refrigerate. For the garlic oil, put the olive oil and peeled garlic, with its central germ removed, in a tall, narrow container.

6. 6

   Blend garlic oil

   Blend the oil and garlic with a hand blender until smooth, then set aside. Remove the crust from the stale bread.

7. 7

   Season the bread

   Cut the bread centre into small cubes, put them in a bowl and season with a splash of olive oil and salt.

8. 8

   Toast the bread

   Toast the cubes in a pan with a splash of olive oil. Once golden and crisp, transfer them to a tray lined with kitchen paper to drain off excess oil.

9. 9

   Fry the peppers

   Heat the peanut oil in a small saucepan to 150°C. Briefly fry the dried peppers, lowering them in with a slotted spoon; drain them as soon as they open, before they become oily or bitter. Place them on the tray with the bread.

10. 10

    Prepare the linguine

    Once cool, chop the crisp peppers together with the bread to make crumbs and set aside. Cook the linguine in boiling salted water.

11. 11

    Build the sauce

    Meanwhile, warm a splash of oil with freshly ground black pepper in a pan. Loosen it with a ladleful of clam cooking liquid and heat well. After 5 minutes, drain the linguine and add it directly to the pan. Adjust the seasoning with pasta water or more clam cooking liquid, depending on how savoury the sauce tastes.

12. 12

    Finish the pasta

    When 1 minute of cooking time remains, add the clams. Turn off the heat and add more cooking liquid if needed. Let the pasta rest briefly, then dress it with 1½ tablespoons of parsley oil.

13. 13

    Make it creamy

    Add 1 tablespoon of anchovy colatura and the chilled parsley butter. Add a splash of oil and toss thoroughly until the pasta is creamy, then serve immediately.

14. 14

    Add the topping

    Spoon over any clams left at the bottom of the pan, then finish with the pepper and bread crumbs and grated lemon zest.

What are linguine with clams?

This is a seafood pasta in the Italian tradition of pairing long noodles with shellfish and a savoury cooking liquid. The recipe builds on that familiar combination with parsley butter, anchovy colatura and a crisp topping of bread and dried peppers.

The different components make this version work: clam liquor seasons the pasta, butter helps coat it, and the pepper crumbs bring a crunchy, aromatic finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 770 calories, 29g protein, 81g carbs, 34g fat.

The linguine and bread provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter and olive oil account for much of the fat. Clams contribute protein, with additional fat from the finishing butter and oils. Pair a serving with a generous portion of salad or vegetables for a more balanced plate.

Give the clams time

Purge: soaking the clams for 1 hour in salted cold water helps them release grit. The method specifies coarse salt at 10% of the water’s weight.

Check: discard clams that remain closed after cooking, as directed. Save the cooking liquid and strain it carefully so it can flavour the sauce.

Prepare the finishing elements

Parsley butter: use only the leaves, chop them finely and work them into softened butter. Chilling it again makes it easier to add at the end without losing its freshness.

Garlic oil: blend the peeled, de-germed garlic with olive oil until smooth. The recipe uses this as a finishing seasoning rather than adding it to the pan with the clams.

Keep the topping crisp

Bread: toast the seasoned cubes until golden, then let excess oil drain on kitchen paper. They should be crisp before you chop them with the peppers.

Peppers: fry them briefly at 150°C and lift them out as soon as they open. Leaving them in longer can make them oily and bitter.

Toss for a glossy sauce

Reserve both the clam cooking liquid and pasta water: they give you options for adjusting the sauce as you toss. The clam liquid adds savoury depth, while pasta water can help loosen the linguine.

Add the clams for the final minute, then take the pan off the heat before adding the chilled parsley butter. Toss until it coats the pasta, adding cooking liquid a little at a time if needed.

Serve straight away

The pasta is best served as soon as the butter has melted into the sauce. Scatter the pepper and bread crumbs over the top at the table so they stay crunchy.

A simple green salad or lightly dressed vegetables make a fresh contrast to the rich butter and savoury shellfish.

Recipe notes & tips

• Weigh the coarse salt against the soaking water to follow the 10% ratio in the method.
• Strain the clam cooking liquid before using it in the sauce.
• Keep the parsley butter chilled until the pasta is ready to finish.
• Drain the toasted bread cubes well so the topping stays crisp.
• Add clam liquid and pasta water gradually while tossing, rather than pouring in too much at once.
• Serve immediately after the parsley butter has made the sauce creamy.

Variations

• More lemon: add a little extra grated zest at the table for a brighter finish.
• Extra parsley: scatter a few finely chopped leaves over the pasta just before serving.
• Less heat: use fewer dried peppers in the crunchy topping.
• More crunch: toast a few extra bread cubes and keep them whole for a final garnish.
• No anchovy colatura: leave it out and season the sauce carefully with salt instead.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the purge: grit can spoil the dish; soak the clams for the full 1 hour.
• Keeping closed clams: discard any that remain shut after cooking, as the method instructs.
• Overfrying the peppers: they can turn oily and bitter; lift them out as soon as they open.
• Adding butter over high heat: turn off the heat first so the parsley butter can blend into the sauce.
• Adding all the liquid at once: pour in clam liquor or pasta water gradually to avoid a watery sauce.
• Topping too early: add the pepper and bread crumbs at the end to preserve their crunch.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in an airtight container and eat within 1 day. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water, but expect the pasta and crisp topping to soften; store any topping separately if possible.

Frequently asked questions