Light but firm, spaghetti – unlike larger spaghetti, delicately textured shellfish, fresh tomato, a chilli and lots of garlic, not to mention a generous touch of Italian crunch Pinot Grigio I bring summer on a plate.
I have to admit that I am usually hesitant to cook with wine. Although it brings so much extra flavor and helps with texture, I always wonder if the wine wouldn’t go better in my glass than a pan.
But when you’re making a dish like spaghetti alle vongole, a splash of good quality Italian wine makes a huge difference to the food.
Dishes that cook quickly – like spaghetti alle vongole – do really well with a splash of wine.
The acidity of the wine helps the delicate ingredients stay tender and retain moisture. For this dish, it means that while you wait to cook the sturdier ingredients, things like green onions and wongole won’t turn mushy or rubbery.
And this dish cooks very quickly.
Once you’ve got everything prepped—garlic, chili, and green onions chopped and the vongole washed—you’re looking at about 10-15 minutes from the stove to the plates full.
How to Make Spaghettini Alle Vongole Like a Pro
Santa Margarita—one of Italy’s most acclaimed vineyards—teamed up with renowned Italian chef Silvia Colloca, who shared some of her favorite recipes that pair perfectly with their wines.
This recipe serves two or more and is a great side dish for a romantic meal at home.
The speed with which everything comes together means you don’t waste time in the kitchen that could be spent enjoying each other’s company.
Here’s what you need:
– 2 tablespoons of olive oil
– 3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
– 3 spring onions, coarsely chopped
– 1 long red chili. coarsely chopped
– 200 ml Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
– 1/4 cup baby capers, rinsed
– 500 grams of cherry tomatoes
– 700 g of mushroom or pipis, well washed
– 200 g of spaghetti
– 1/2 cup broadleaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Here’s what you do:
Before you start cutting: Have a pot of hot, well-salted water ready when you’re ready to cook the pasta.
1. Heat the olive oil to a high temperature in a pan with a heavy bottom and high sides. Fry the garlic, spring onion and chilli until the garlic starts to turn golden and fragrant.
2. Add the shellfish, tomatoes and capers, then pour in the wine and cook for about two minutes until the smell of alcohol has disappeared.
3. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and let the mushroom shells open – about 2 minutes. Remove the shellfish from the pan and set aside in a bowl. Fish out anything that may have detached from the shells. Discard unopened shells.
4. Bring the pot of water to a boil and add the pasta and cook for four minutes, just before al-dente. Do not drain the pasta water, you will need it. Remove the spaghetti with tongs and toss in the sauce, adding a little pasta water.
5. Gently toss the pasta and sauce for a few minutes and watch as the pasta soaks up the juices. Add more pasta water if needed.
6. Turn off the heat and return the wongol to the pan along with any juices left in the bowl (it’s all flavor!) and gently toss. Sprinkle with parsley, a garnish of extra sliced chilli, a drizzle of olive oil and some pepper. Serve immediately with the remaining Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio.
Spaghettini alle vongole is a Neapolitan classic from Campagna in southern Italy. It’s a fresh simple dish with chewy but fine pasta and those luscious little mussels that bring texture and soft bread notes that remind you of the sea.
Santa Margherita’s Pinot Grigio is a very good choice for this dish. It’s light enough not to take over, though it has enough body to make a difference in food. It’s also great to drink while you eat.
This also takes the mystery out of trying to match food with the right wine, although we have some good tips for that here!
A find Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Santa Margherita Superiore Prosecco—authentic and delicious Italian wines—at BWS and other fine wineries nationwide.
