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Best Spaghetti alle vongole in Sydney

“Fresh clams, garlic, parsley, olive oil—spaghetti alle vongole is an exercise in coastal restraint.”

Spaghetti alle vongole

What the real thing tastes like

Spaghetti alle vongole (Italian: [spaˈɡetti alle ˈvoŋɡole, - ˈvɔŋɡole]; lit. 'spaghetti with clams') is a pasta dish consisting of spaghetti cooked with fresh clams, originating in the coastal regions of Italy, particularly in southern Italy. The preparation typically involves garlic, parsley, olive oil, and occasionally white wine. Palourde, or carpet-shell clams (Italian: vongole veraci; pl.), 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.

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Spaghetti alle vongole arrives from Italy's southern coasts as an exercise in restraint—spaghetti, fresh clams, garlic, parsley, olive oil, and sometimes white wine, nothing more. The dish hinges on two clams: the prized vongole veraci (carpet-shell) and the smaller Mediterranean wedge shell, each contributing their own briny character to the pot. Regional variations ripple across Italy, but the core formula stays intact: let the clam liquor do the talking.

Order it here when it has

  • uses two distinct clam varieties
  • simple, ingredient-driven preparation
  • rooted in southern Italian tradition

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