Toasted Spaghetti with Clams
- Recipe by Ferran Adria
Ferran Adrià credits the idea for this dish to one of his acolytes, Moreno Cedroni, the hyper-creative Italian chef at La Madonnina del Pescatore in Italy’s Marzocca di Senigallia. The method is very similar to risotto, but spaghetti fills in for the arborio rice: Adrià toasts it in a pan with a little oil, then adds hot clam juice until the pasta is fully cooked and loaded with briny flavor.
- TOTAL TIME: 25 MIN
- SERVINGS: 4
- Fast
- Healthy
Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 pound spaghetti, broken into 2-inch lengths
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Crushed red pepper
- 3 cups bottled clam broth
- 1 cup water
- 3 dozen littleneck clams, rinsed
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
Directions
- In a large deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the spaghetti and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and a large pinch of crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the clam broth and water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and cook over moderate heat until the pasta is barely al dente, about 8 minutes. Nestle the clams into the pasta, cover and cook until the pasta is al dente and the clams open, about 7 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water if the pasta is too dry. Stir in the parsley and serve.
A light, zingy, minerally Albariño from Rías Baixas has the acidity to balance the briny clams. Try the 2003 Mar de Frades or the 2003 Salnesur Adegas Condes de Albarei.
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User Reviews

(Average Rating)
By far one of my favorite dishes to prepare when friends are "in the neighborhood" and just stopping by. Don't worry about the clams if you have none at hand, shrimp work just as great as long as you flash sear them first, wait for the pasta to be almost al dente and then add the shrimp, cover and let cook for another 8 to 10mins.
Posted by: PENA6911 on June 16, 2008
Posted by: borisg on March 18, 2008
This dish is very easy to make and really shines when tossed with some Parmesan Reggiano. I'll definitely make this again.
Posted by: Boscompb on March 17, 2008
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