A mound of al dente fettuccine tossed with caramelized fennel and garlic, dotted with plump clams bathed in a rich, buttery lemon sauce. The dish pops with green fennel fronds and cracked black pepper, all in an earthenware dish.

Lemon-Garlic Clams with Fennel-Scented Pasta

Name: Lemon-Garlic Clams with Fennel-Scented Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: clams, 2 pounds scrubbed; fettuccine, 12 oz; fennel bulb, 1 thinly sliced along with fronds for garnish; garlic cloves, 4 minced; white wine, 1/2 cup; lemon, 1 juiced and zested; crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp; unsalted butter, 2 tbsp; extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp; salt and black pepper, to taste

Category Main Course

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Style Italian

Technique Boiling

Diet Friendly Pescatarian

Daily Recipe: January 30, 2025

Oozing with the charm of Italian cuisine, this recipe offers a delightful twist to clam pasta. With homely hints of lemon and garlic, and garnished with velvety fennel fronds, it's a warming yet light dish perfect for a cloudy, chilly evening.

Ingredients (for 4)

Clams - 2 pounds - scrubbed
Fettuccine - 12 oz
Fennel bulb - 1 - thinly sliced along with fronds for garnish
Garlic cloves - 4 - minced
White wine - 1/2 cup
Lemon - 1 - juiced and zested
Crushed red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp
Unsalted butter - 2 tbsp
Extra-virgin olive oil - 3 tbsp
Salt and black pepper - to taste

Preparation

Step 1 - 🍳🥘🌱

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the sliced fennel and a pinch of salt. Cook until the fennel starts to caramelize, this should take around 10 minutes.
Step 2 - 🥘🌶️🧄

Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan. Stir for about a minute or until the garlic aroma fills the kitchen.
Step 3 - 🥘🍚🍷

Pour in the white wine, scrape the bottom to loosen any fond. Let it simmer.
Step 4 - 🥘🔥🐚

Add the clams to the pan, cover and cook until clams open, this usually takes around 7-10 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.
Step 5 - 🍝💧🔥

While the clams are cooking, boil the pasta according to the instructions on the packet, until it's al dente.
Step 6 - 🍝🌊🥘

Drain the pasta, reserving some water. Toss the pasta with a tbsp of olive oil to keep it from sticking together.
Step 7 - 🍝🍋🥘

Add the pasta, lemon juice and zest, butter, and some pasta water (if necessary) to the pan with the clams. Toss until everything is well mixed.
Step 8 - 🍴🌱🥗

Season with salt and pepper, garnish with the chopped fennel fronds, sprinkle some black pepper on top and serve immediately.

Additional

For a lovely variation, add some crispy pancetta or crumbled Italian sausage. You could also sprinkle some Parmesan cheese at the end. The kids will love squeezing the lemon and stirring the fettuccine into the clam mixture.