Pasta Risotto Style with Clams

Ingredients 0/11

Step 1

Bring a big pot of salted water to a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in a chili pepper and some garlic, letting them cook just until you can really smell their aroma—about 30 seconds. Then take out the garlic and chili and discard them.

Step 2

Add the clams to the flavored oil, pour in the wine, and cover the pan right away. Let everything simmer until the clams open up, which should take around 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the open clams to a large bowl, cover them to keep warm, and throw away any that didn’t open.

Step 3

Add about four ladles of the salted pasta water along with the clam juice back into the skillet and bring it to a boil. Add the spaghetti and gently stir it with a pasta fork so it doesn’t stick. Keep the pasta just barely covered by adding more salted water as needed while it cooks for 8 to 10 minutes until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite.

Step 4

Once the pasta is just right, toss in the clams along with some fresh lemon zest. Give everything a good but gentle toss so the clams mix nicely with the thickened sauce.

Step 5

Serve the pasta straight into bowls, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and don’t forget to have empty plates ready for the shells while you enjoy your meal!