Recipe — 30 minutes · serves 2 as a main, 4 as a starter · Easy
Clams and Linguine
Our frozen clams in shell tossed through garlicky linguine with white wine and parsley. A proper pasta night, on the table in half an hour.
Buy the fish for this recipe
Ingredients
- —1 package Frozen Clams in Shell (about 454 g)
- —350 g linguine
- —3 tbsp olive oil
- —4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- —Pinch of dried chili flakes (optional)
- —150 ml dry white wine
- —2 tbsp butter
- —Parsley, lemon wedges, crusty bread
Method
- 01
Put the frozen clams in a colander and rinse under cold water to knock off any ice. They'll thaw a little as you work — that's fine.
- 02
Get a big pot of well-salted water boiling and cook the linguine until just shy of al dente. Save a mug of the pasta water before you drain it.
- 03
Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a wide pan and soften the garlic (and chili flakes, if using) gently — no colour, or it turns bitter.
- 04
Pour in the wine and let it bubble hard for a minute to cook off the alcohol.
- 05
Add the clams, cover, and steam 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan once, until the shells open. Because they're already cooked, pull them the moment they gape — you're warming them through, not cooking them again.
- 06
Tumble in the drained linguine with the butter and a splash of pasta water. Toss over the heat for a minute until the sauce clings, then shower with parsley and serve with lemon.
From the counter: Any clam that stays shut after six minutes has missed its moment — bin it, don't pry it. And taste before you salt: the clams bring their own brine.