Italian Trofie Pasta with Clams and ‘Nduja

Trofie are a short, thin, twisted pasta from the Liguria region of northwest Italy, especially around Genoa and the Italian Riviera. Made traditionally from durum wheat flour and water, their spiral shape holds sauces beautifully. Trofie are commonly paired with pesto alla Genovese, but also work wonderfully with seafood or spicy ingredients like Calabrian ‘nduja.

 

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Serves 4, Preparation 15 mins, Cooking approx. 25 mins

• 350 g Trofie pasta
• 1 kg of fresh or frozen clams
• 1 tablespoon of nduja
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 5 to 6 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 1 handful of chopped parsley
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

• Fresh clams: Purge in 2–3 liters of cold water with plenty of rock salt for 2–3 hours to remove any sand.

• Frozen clams: Defrost in the fridge.

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Heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a large lidded non-stick pan. Add garlic cloves and lightly brown them.

Add clams, cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes until the shells open. Discard any that remain closed.

Remove the garlic and clams from the pan, reserving the cooking liquid.

Wipe the pan clean, heat 3 tablespoons of EVOO, and return the garlic.

Add parsley and ‘nduja, stirring until fragrant.

Return clams and the reserved cooking liquid to the pan. Simmer gently and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Boil Trofie pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a little pasta water if needed.

Add pasta to the pan with clams and ‘nduja. Toss gently, allowing the pasta to absorb the flavourful sauce.

Serve immediately with a drizzle of EVOO and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

 

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