Este prato de esparguete com conquilhas é a essência da cozinha costeira: simples, rápido e repleto do sabor fresco do mar. A base de tomate, alho e coentros cria um molho rico e aromático que envolve a massa na perfeição, transformando uma refeição do dia-a-dia numa pequena celebração de sabores mediterrânicos.

Ingredientes

  • 1 kg de conquilhas
  • 1 colher de sopa de coentros picados
  • 4 dentes de alho picados
  • 3 colheres de sopa de azeite virgem
  • 600 g de tomates maduros, pelados, sem sementes e picados (com o sumo)
  • Sal e pimenta preta moída na ocasião, q.b.
  • Salsa picada q.b.
  • 500 g de esparguete
  • Manteiga q.b.

Preparação

  1. Abri as conquilhas com uma pequena quantidade de água num tacho tapado. Retirei as cascas.
  2. Levei ao lume a água coada das conquilhas com os coentros, os alhos picados e o azeite. Reduzi para metade.
  3. Adicionei os tomates e o respetivo sumo, temperei com sal e pimenta e deixei cozinhar até ficar tudo em papa.
  4. No final, juntei as conquilhas, polvilhei com salsa picada e retirei do lume passados alguns segundos.
  5. Cozi o esparguete, escorri, passei por água fria e aqueci com um pouco de manteiga.
  6. Servi o esparguete com o molho de conquilhas ao centro.

Bringing a taste of the sun-drenched coast to your table, here is this classic recipe, translated.

Neapolitan-Style Spaghetti with Clams

This dish is a beautiful marriage of land and sea, a Portuguese take on the classic Italian Spaghetti alle Vongole with a rich, Neapolitan-style tomato sauce. It’s a wonderfully simple yet elegant pasta dish that is bursting with the fresh, briny flavour of the ocean, balanced by the sweetness of ripe tomatoes and the fragrance of garlic and fresh herbs. It’s the kind of meal that transports you to a seaside restaurant on a warm evening.

The secret to this recipe’s incredible depth of flavour is the use of the clam’s own liquor. After steaming the clams open, their flavourful, salty water is reserved and reduced, creating a concentrated seafood broth that becomes the very soul of the sauce. The clams themselves are added right at the end, just long enough to warm through, which ensures they remain perfectly tender and succulent.

For the best results, use the freshest clams you can find. While the recipe suggests rinsing the cooked pasta, a common practice to halt the cooking process, you could also try the Italian method: drain the spaghetti when it’s very al dente and toss it directly into the warm sauce for the final minute of cooking. This allows the pasta to absorb all the wonderful flavours of the sauce, creating a more integrated dish.

Ingredients

  • 1kg fresh wedge clams (conquilhas)
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp virgin olive oil
  • 600g ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded, and chopped (with their juice)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
  • 500g spaghetti
  • Butter, to taste

Preparation

  1. In a large covered pot, steam the clams with a very small amount of water until they open. Remove the clams from their shells (discarding any that did not open) and set the meat aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove any grit, and reserve it.
  2. In a saucepan, heat the strained clam water with the chopped coriander, garlic, and olive oil. Bring to a simmer and allow it to reduce by about half.
  3. Add the chopped tomatoes and their juice to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and let it cook until the sauce has thickened and the tomatoes have broken down completely.
  4. Just before serving, stir the reserved clam meat into the hot sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Remove from the heat after just a few seconds to prevent the clams from becoming tough.
  5. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain, briefly rinse with cold water, and toss with a knob of butter.
  6. Serve the spaghetti immediately with the clam and tomato sauce spooned over the centre.