The Most Delicious Spaghetti alle Vongole with Zucchini You’ll Try

A Taste of the Region of Campania in Southern Italy

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I believe in traveling through food, not only because it’s one of the best ways to experience a new culture and learn about its people, but also because food takes us places. That’s why I was so excited to try Spaghetti alle Vongole with Zucchini at a seaside restaurant whose name I can’t recall in Positano, Italy.

It was not just another exquisite dish, it was an experience. I had tried spaghetti alle vongole many times before, but this was different. The clams were fresh and briny, and the zucchini was earthy and sweet. The combination of flavors was the perfect marriage of earth and sea in a way that I had yet to experience.

I was so amazed by the experience that I decided I had to recreate it at home. I tried multiple iterations and variations as I didn’t have the original recipe. I’m happy to report that after much practice and tweaking the recipe turned out just as delicious as I remembered it.

What are vongole?

Vongole is Italian for clams, they are a type of small, hard-shelled mollusk. The ones popular in Italian cuisine are called vongole veraci in Italy or Venerupis decussata which are typically found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. For this recipe I just buy fresh clams at my local seafood market; if they’re fresh, they taste just as good as the variety found in Mediterranean waters.

Here’s my recipe for pasta alle vongole with zucchini:

Ingredients:

• Clams – Vongole
• Zucchini
• White wine. Make sure it’s a dry wine, I favor Pinot Grigio to keep the dish as Italian as possible.
• Olive oil
• Garlic, lots of garlic!
• Generous serving of chopped parsley
• Spaghetti or Linguini
• Peperoncino (hot pepper flakes – optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Clam cooking Tips:

Here are some tips for cooking clams:

• It is important to clean and purge the clams with salt water prior to cooking them. You may need to purge the clams between 3 and 5 times before the water is clear. Rinsing the clams is an important step in preparing this dish. It helps to remove any sand or grit that may be present in the clams, especially if they are wild-caught fresh clams as eating sandy clams is not enjoyable and can rob the fun and deliciousness out of the dish.
• If you can’t find fresh clams, you can use frozen clams. Just be sure to thaw them before cooking.
• Cook the vongole quickly over medium heat. They should open up within a few minutes.
• If a clam does not open after cooking, discard it.
• Do not overcook the clams, or they will become tough.

A Taste of Positano

When I take a bite of this pasta, I’m instantly transported back to the seaside town of Positano that hugs the mountains on the Amalfi coast just south of Naples. I can feel the warm sun on my skin and the cool breeze from the Mediterranean Sea. I can taste the salty air and the fresh seafood in a beautiful setting where the sea meets the mountains.

So, if you’re looking for a delicious and authentic Italian summer dish, I highly recommend giving this pasta alle vongole with zucchini a try. You won’t be disappointed as this recipe is more than just a pasta dish, it’s an experience that you will not want to miss!