Spaghetti Alle Vongole
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''Spaghetti alle vongole'' (; ) is a pasta dish consisting of spaghetti cooked with fresh clams, originating in the coastal regions of
southern Italy Southern Italy (, , or , ; ; ), also known as () or (; ; ; ), is a macroregion of Italy consisting of its southern Regions of Italy, regions. The term "" today mostly refers to the regions that are associated with the people, lands or cultu ...
, particularly the city of
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, Campania. The preparation typically involves garlic, parsley, olive oil, and occasionally white wine. Palourde, or carpet-shell clams (Italian: ; ), are commonly used, along with the small Mediterranean wedge shell ('' Donax trunculus'', also known as the Tellina or "bean clam"). There are numerous regional variations of the dish.


Types of clams

Palourde, or carpet-shell clams (Italian: ; ), are used, or the small, Mediterranean wedge shell (''Donax trunculus'', also known as the Tellina or "bean clam"). Both types are also called ''arselle'' in
Liguria Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
and
Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
.


In Italy

Italians Italians (, ) are a European peoples, European ethnic group native to the Italian geographical region. Italians share a common Italian culture, culture, History of Italy, history, Cultural heritage, ancestry and Italian language, language. ...
prepare this dish two ways: ''in bianco'', i.e., with oil, garlic, parsley, and sometimes a splash of white wine; and ''in rosso'', like the former but with tomatoes and fresh basil, the addition of tomatoes being more frequent in the south. Traditionally, the bivalves are cooked quickly in hot olive oil to which plenty of garlic has been added. The live clams open during cooking, releasing a liquid that serves as the primary flavoring agent.


Outside Italy

Italian-American recipes sometimes use cream in this dish, but in Italy, its area of origin, this would be considered most unorthodox. Gillian Riley considers cream alien to the spirit of Italian cooking, remarking that "the way cream dumbs down flavor and texture is not appropriate to the subtle flavor and consistency of pasta". In the United States, cheese is sometimes added to the dish, although Italians state that it overpowers the simple flavors of the clams and of good-quality olive oil.For a discussion about the Italian dislike of putting cheese on pasta dishes with seafood from an American point of view, se
Robert Trachtenberg, "Just Grate", ''New York Times Magazine'', March 30, 2008
Trachtenberg terms the prohibition "a mantra".


See also

*
List of pasta There are many different varieties of pasta. They are usually sorted by size, being long (), short (), stuffed (), cooked in broth (), stretched () or in dumpling-like form (). Yet, due to the variety of shapes and regional variants, "one man's ...
*
List of pasta dishes Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, with the first reference dating to 1154 in Sicily. It is also commonly used to refer to the variety of pasta dishes. Pasta is typically a noodle traditionally made from an unleavened dough ...


References

{{Cuisine of Italy Neapolitan cuisine Italian seafood dishes Spaghetti dishes Clam dishes