Spaghetti with cockles, a Christmas Eve first course, a classic I would say, although any day could be good to prepare it. In our country, pasta, especially spaghetti, brings everyone together on what needs to be cooked, so pasta, the moment of the first courses becomes a celebration, bringing a pasta dish to the table satisfies and pleases, especially if it is accompanied, as in this case, by cockles. Sometimes cockles are tastier than large clams, even though I prefer both. They have a few differences; cockles are smaller and have very short antennae compared to the larger clams which have long ones.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
- Energy 861.04 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 44.68 (g) of which sugars 0.46 (g)
- Proteins 57.00 (g)
- Fat 51.39 (g) of which saturated 2.80 (g)of which unsaturated 0.35 (g)
- Fibers 1.47 (g)
- Sodium 178.19 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 320 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs cockles
- 5.3 oz spaghetti
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- 2.7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch chili pepper
Tools
- Frying Pan
- Pot
Steps
Usually when we buy clams, whether large or small cockles or tellins, they are already ready to be cooked, thus purged. They are placed in water, sometimes even with salt, to remove any sand residue. As a habit, I always put cockles in water and salt for a few hours before cooking them. I rinse the cockles and place them in a pan with oil, garlic in its jacket, and a pinch of chili pepper, let them open, and turn them off. I remove the cockles and filter their cooking water to ensure no sand at the bottom, I prefer to remove at least half of the shells. I put everything back in the pan, add chopped parsley, and as soon as the spaghetti is almost ready, al dente I would say, I transfer it to the sauce and finish cooking by adding a ladle of pasta cooking water. Before serving, I add a bit of EVOO and freshly chopped parsley if possible.
And here they are ready, spaghetti with cockles.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
When is the cockle season?
In reality, clams are available all year round, but this is the right time, from September to February, because now is the period when the cockle does not reproduce.
