Linguine and clams with fennel and orange salad
Simple, quick and authentic – linguine alle vongole is an Italian classic, served here alongside a vibrant fennel and orange salad.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced and green fronds reserved for garnish
- 1 orange, peeled and sliced
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú Taggiasca olives, stones removed and left whole
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ orange, juice only
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú pomegranate seeds, to garnish
For the linguine
- 200g/7oz linguine
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 500g/1lb 2oz clams, scrubbed and debearded
- 125ml/4fl oz white wine
- handful fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
- squeeze lemon juice
- 1 tomato, seeds removed and finely chopped
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú breadcrumbs, toasted
- crusty bread, to serve
Method
To make the salad, arrange the fennel and orange slices on a plate and scatter over the olives. Whisk together the oil, orange juice and a little salt and pepper in a small bowl or jug and pour over the salad. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds and green fennel fronds and set aside.
To make the linguine, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the linguine according to the packet instructions.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep frying pan with a lid, add the garlic and sweat for 1 minute. Discard any clams with broken shells and any that refuse to close when tapped. Stir in the clams, then pour in the wine. Cover with a lid, shake the pan and cook for a couple of minutes until the clams have opened up – discard any that remain closed. Add the parsley, followed by the drained linguine. Mix together well and keep cooking for a minute or so. Add the lemon juice and tomatoes and stir together.
Ladle into pasta bowls and top with the breadcrumbs. Serve immediately with the salad alongside and bread to mop up the juices.
