Pappardelle Alle Vongole Recipe

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While that’s heating, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the pancetta and shallots, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until they start to soften.

Stir in the garlic and rosemary, and continue to sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the clams, wine, pepper, and lemon zest to the skillet with the aromatics. Season with salt and pepper, then cover the skillet.

Drop the pappardelle into the boiling salted water. Cook the clams for 7 to 8 minutes, until most of them have opened. Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 6 to 8 minutes, until it's just al dente.

Stir the heavy cream into the clam sauce. Drain the pappardelle, reserving a little of the starchy pasta water, and add the pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss everything together and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, letting the pasta absorb some of the sauce.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and toss to combine. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water until it reaches your desired consistency. Discard any clams that didn't open during cooking.

Plate the pappardelle and clams, then garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.