TABELIA

AUTHENTIC RECIPE

Vongole al Vino BiancoClams Steamed in White Wine

Clams Steamed in White Wine
Difficulty★☆☆☆☆ Prep3 min Cook10 min Rest2 hr servings2

A seafood starter especially loved in Naples and Venice: clams steamed with white wine, garlic and flat-leaf parsley. The savoury juices released by the shellfish are its main seasoning.

Recipe developed and reviewed by the Tabelia Editorial TeamUpdated
100/ 100

AUTHENTICITY SCORE

Authenticity Score

This is the standard recipe, exactly as it’s made where it comes from — the highest Authenticity Score possible. Substituting ingredients changes this score; the app shows exactly how, ingredient by ingredient.

Ingredients (2 servings)

  • ClamsPurge for 2 hours in 3% salt water, using 30 g salt per 1 L water. Scrub just before cooking.600 g
  • GarlicCrush.3 cloves
  • White wine150 ml
  • Flat-leaf parsleyFinely chop.8 sprigs
  • Dried chilli1 piece
  • Extra virgin olive oil40 ml

Method

12 hr

Purge the clams

  • 1 Spread 600 g clams in a tray without overlapping and pour in 3% salt water, made with 30 g salt per 1 L water, until just covered.
  • 2 Cover with aluminium foil or similar and leave in a dark place to purge for 2 hours.
23 min

Wash the clams and prepare the aromatics

  • 1 Drain the purged clams in a colander, rub the shells together under running water and drain.
  • 2 Discard broken clams and those that stay open without closing.
  • 3 Crush 3 garlic cloves with the flat of a knife.
  • 4 Finely chop 8 sprigs of parsley.
32 min

Release the garlic and chilli aroma

  • 1 Heat 40 ml olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the crushed garlic and chilli until fragrant, for 1–2 minutes.
45 min

Steam with white wine

  • 1 Add the clams and pour in the white wine, cover and steam over high heat for 4–5 minutes.

Caution

Continue once the shells have opened and the cooking liquid is cloudy white.

52 min

Add parsley and turn off the heat

  • 1 Once the shells have all opened, scatter with parsley and turn off the heat.
  • 2 Discard any clams that do not open.
61 min

Serve with the cooking juices

  • 1 Serve in deep plates with all the cooking liquid, accompanied by bread.
A view of Napoli, Campania
Napoli, CampaniaItaly Photo: Armando Mancini · CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized; display cropped)

About this dish

Vongole, or clams, are harvested along the entire Italian coastline, but are particularly important in Naples and Venice. In season from spring into early summer, they have long been enjoyed as a seasonal starter in port-town markets and homes. The white-wine-steamed version may be served before pasta or as a small plate on its own.

Even today, trattorias in Naples and Venice regard the aroma and sound as the shells open as part of the pleasure of the dish. Purging is the most important step: soaking for 2 hours in salt water at the same 3% concentration as seawater lets the clams expel their sand thoroughly. Cooking itself is extremely simple, but taking time over preparation is the professional approach.

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