SCIALATIELLI CON VONGOLE E POMODORINI 😍🍝

Have you ever tried it? What’s your favorite way to enjoy it? 🐚

Introduction

Scialatielli with clams and cherry tomatoes is a timeless southern-Italian classic that smells like the sea and summer. Born on the Amalfi Coast, scialatielli — a thick, irregular fresh pasta — embraces a simple, fragrant sauce made of fresh clams, sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, good olive oil and parsley. The result is an elegant yet humble plate that brings seaside memories to the table with every bite.

Why this dish works

It’s the harmony of a few quality ingredients. Fresh clams provide briny depth, cherry tomatoes bring sweetness and acidity, the pasta’s texture traps the sauce, and the finishing parsley and extra-virgin olive oil elevate everything. Nothing complicates the flavor — you just let the sea speak.

Ingredients (for 2 generous portions or 3 normal)

350 g scialatielli (fresh pasta)
1 kg fresh clams (vongole), cleaned and spurgated
200 g sweet cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, good quality, q.b.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, q.b.
A splash of dry white wine (optional)

Equipment

Large bowl for purging clams, large wide pan for cooking the sauce and finishing the pasta, a pot for boiling pasta, a fine sieve for filtering clam liquor, kitchen tongs or skimmer, and a ladle for pasta water.

Step-by-step preparation (detailed)

1. Purge the clams (don’t skip this)

Place clams in a large bowl with very cold water and a generous pinch of coarse salt. Let them rest for at least 1 hour — this allows them to expel sand. Put a plate or something slightly heavy on top so they remain submerged. After an hour, lift them gently and drain; repeat rinse if water looks sandy. This step makes the difference between a gritty dish and a perfect one.

2. Begin the aromatic base

In a wide, low pan set over medium heat, pour a generous splash of extra-virgin olive oil (2–3 tbsp). Add the crushed garlic and let it gently perfume the oil until it’s golden — don’t burn it. The oil will carry the first layer of aroma to the sauce.

3. “Make the clams sing”

Add the drained clams to the hot oil, cover immediately with a lid and turn up to medium-high. The clams will open and release their liquor — the moment they “sing” and open is crucial. This usually takes 3–4 minutes. Remove the clams with tongs as they open and set aside in a bowl (keep a few in shell for plating if you like).

4. Preserve and filter the clam liquor

Carefully pour the cooking liquid through a fine sieve (or double-layered cheesecloth) into a small bowl to remove sand and impurities. That filtered liquor is pure flavor — keep it for the sauce. Discard any clams that remained tightly closed.

5. Cook the tomatoes

In the same pan (no need to clean it — the aroma is perfect), add another drizzle of oil if needed and toss in the halved cherry tomatoes. Sauté for 4–5 minutes on medium-high so they soften and slightly caramelize, releasing sweetness without falling apart. Taste and add a pinch of salt.

6. Add the clam liquor and wine

Pour back the filtered clam liquor into the pan with the tomatoes. If you want extra complexity, add a splash (2–3 tbsp) of dry white wine and let it evaporate for a minute. Let the sauce gently reduce for a couple of minutes — it should remain fluid, not thick.

7. Return the clams (and shell them)

Return the clams to the pan. For easier eating and to spread flavor, shell most clams and return the meats to the sauce; leave some in shell for presentation. Mix gently and remove the pan from heat to keep everything tender.

8. Cook the scialatielli

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fresh scialatielli cook very quickly — usually 2–3 minutes. Cook them until just al dente, then scoop them out into the pan with the sauce using tongs or a spider (do not fully drain; keep some pasta water).

9. Mantecatura — the magic of emulsification

Put the pan back on medium heat, add a ladleful of pasta water and toss vigorously so the starch binds the sauce creating a silky coating that looks almost creamy. Add plenty of freshly chopped parsley and a final drizzle of olive oil. Adjust seasoning with pepper and, if needed, a tiny pinch of salt (be careful — clams are naturally salty).

10. Plate and finish

Serve immediately. Arrange generous nests of scialatielli, place a few whole clams in shell on top for visual drama, scatter extra parsley and finish with a light grind of black pepper and a final drizzle of best-quality extra-virgin olive oil. If you like, add a subtle twist of lemon zest for brightness — just a whisper, not a squeeze.

Variants & chef tips

Pure white: omit tomatoes and do a simple garlic–oil–clam butter sauce for a more delicate finish.
With chili: add a small fresh chili or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the oil when frying garlic.
Bottarga touch: grate a little bottarga at the end for an intense umami finish.
Lemon note: a micro-zest of lemon brightens the plate — use sparingly.

Common mistakes to avoid

Not purging clams adequately — causes grit.
Overcooking clams or pasta — both should remain tender.
Burning garlic — it turns bitter and spoils the sauce.
Over-salting — clams and their liquor carry salt already.

Serving suggestions & pairings

Pair this dish with a crisp, mineral white: Vermentino, Falanghina or a dry Fiano. Serve with warmed, crusty bread or grilled bread to soak up the sauce. A light fennel–orange salad or grilled vegetables make fresh side dishes.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. If you have leftovers (rare!), refrigerate for up to 1 day and reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water — but the texture is best fresh.

Why you’ll love it

Scialatielli with clams and cherry tomatoes is simple, elegant and deeply satisfying: it’s summer on a plate, a direct line to the flavor of the sea. With a few careful steps — purging clams, filtering the liquor, and a quick manteca — you’ll have a restaurant-quality dish at home.

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