recipe for *Spaghetti with Clams and Bottarga*, a flavorful Italian seafood pasta dish enhanced with the rich, salty notes of bottarga (dried mullet roe). This recipe serves 4 people.
Ingredients
– 400 g bronze-drawn durum wheat spaghetti
– 1 kg of fresh clams
– Dried mullet roe (bottarga) to taste, grated or powdered
– 1 clove of garlic (optional)
– Fresh parsley, chopped, to taste
– Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
– Chili pepper (optional), to taste
– Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare the Clams
– Begin by purging the clams to remove any sand. Place them in a bowl of salted water for about two hours, changing the water a couple of times. Afterward, drain them and check for any shell or sand residue.
2. Cook the Clams
– In a large, non-nonstick pan (to avoid scratching from shells), add a drizzle of olive oil, the garlic clove, and a stalk of parsley for flavor. Once the garlic is golden, remove both the garlic and parsley.
– Add the clams to the pan, cover with a lid, and cook slowly until all the clams open up. Discard any that remain closed.
– Set the clams aside, keeping the cooking liquid, which you’ll need to strain through a fine-mesh strainer (at least twice) to remove any sand. Reserve the filtered liquid. Shell most of the clams, leaving a few in their shells for garnish.
3. Cook the Pasta
– Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and cook the spaghetti until it’s very al dente (a bit undercooked). Drain, saving some of the pasta water.
4. Combine Pasta with Sauce
– In the pan used to cook the clams, add another drizzle of olive oil, the filtered clam liquid, and a little pasta cooking water. Add the drained spaghetti and stir continuously over medium heat to combine, creating a creamy texture as the pasta absorbs the liquid.
5. Finish with Bottarga and Seasonings
– Grate a generous amount of dried bottarga over the pasta, then add freshly ground black pepper and chopped parsley. Toss the pasta a few times to evenly distribute the flavors.
– Add the clams (both shelled and in-shell) and, for those who like a bit of heat, sprinkle in some chili pepper.
6. Serve
– Plate the spaghetti, garnishing with the whole clams, a bit more bottarga if desired, and a final touch of fresh parsley.