If there’s one dish that evokes vacations in Italy, it’s linguine alle vongole. This Neapolitan specialty, prepared with fresh clams, garlic, parsley, white wine, and a drizzle of olive oil, delights with its flavors as much as with its simplicity. And when Chef Cyril Lignac— who’s already behind the star recipe for Galette des Rois—takes on this dish, the result is simply irresistible.
Cyril Lignac proves that the best recipes are often the simplest
Accustomed to sharing recipes that are easy to recreate at home on *Tous en Cuisine*, the chef this time unveils his version of the iconic linguine alle vongole. A version faithful to Italian tradition and accessible to everyone. Originating in Naples, it is one of southern Italy’s most iconic recipes. And their success is based on a very Italian principle: bringing out the best in a few high-quality ingredients rather than overcomplicating the preparation.
With just a few ingredients, you’ll end up with a dish worthy of a restaurant, featuring a light, fragrant, and briny sauce that evokes the scent of a vacation in Italy.
A quick and easy recipe to make, with no unnecessary ingredients… And one that makes it feel like you’re enjoying pasta as good as in Italy.
Cyril Lignac’s Easy Pasta alle Vongole Recipe
Serves 4:
- Olive oil
- 240 g semolina linguine (or spaghetti)
- 4 handfuls of clams, thoroughly soaked beforehand
- ¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley, washed and chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- ½ glass of white wine
Preparation:
- In a saucepan, add the clams (which have already been soaked) along with a drizzle of olive oil, a clove of garlic, a little parsley, and the white wine. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes, until the clams open.
- Drain the clams into a bowl to collect all their cooking liquid. Shell them and set them aside.
- Carefully strain the cooking liquid through a clean cloth to remove any sand. Set aside.
- Cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes. Cyril Lignac recommends not adding salt to the water, as the clam juice already provides all the necessary saltiness.
- Meanwhile, pour the strained clam broth into a second saucepan. Add the second clove of minced garlic and let it heat gently.
- Drain the pasta while it’s still very al dente, then add it directly to the clam sauce. Continue cooking over medium heat so that the pasta absorbs all the sauce.
- Remove from heat, add the opened clams and the remaining chopped parsley, and finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
- Serve immediately and enjoy while hot.
Cyril Lignac’s secret to pasta alle vongole just like in Italy
The reason this recipe is so flavorful is thanks to a technique well known to Italian chefs. Rather than finishing the pasta in its cooking water, Cyril Lignac cooks it directly in the clam cooking liquid. This allows the linguine to absorb all the briny flavors of the clams and naturally blend with the sauce, without the need to add cream or butter. (That’s right—no cream, just like in authentic pasta alla Carbonara!)
Another detail that makes all the difference: he recommends not adding salt to the cooking water. A simple tip that prevents the dish from becoming too salty, since the clams’ own juices already provide plenty of flavor.