Pasta Vongole with Chef Ben Shewfelt

Put a large stock pot of salted water on high heat. While water is coming to a boil, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic, shallots, and leaks. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until soft.

Once the water has come to a boil, add the spaghetti and cook for 10 minutes or until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, add the clams to the frying pan and deglaze with the white wine. Cover the frying pan and cook for 3-6 minutes until the clams open and release their juices. The cook time will vary based on the size of the clams.

Once the clams are fully cooked, discard any that have not opened. Remove the cooked clams and set aside in a bowl. Add the clam juice and reduce for 2 minutes.

Once reduced, stir in the butter to fortify the sauce. Add the lemon juice, red pepper flakes, parsley, and tarragon, reserving a little of each for garnish. Check the seasoning and adjust with more salt if needed.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and reserve a ¼ cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the frying pan, and toss together. If the sauce thickens too much, add a small amount of the cooking water at a time until the sauce thins. The sauce should not be runny.

Plate in a bowl and top with the cooked clams and remaining parsley and tarragon.