Extra virgin olive oil (approx. 2 tbsp + 25 g / 2 tbsp)
1 garlic clove
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
40 g (approx. 3 tbsp) dry white wine
Fine salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Purge the clams: Place a colander inside a large bowl so that it does not touch the bottom, fill with cold running water, and allow the clams to soak to purge any excess sand. Discard the water and repeat the process, leaving them to soak.
Check for sand: To ensure no clam shells are filled only with mud or sand, firmly tap each shell (without breaking it) against a cutting board with the opening facing downward. If a dark smudge of sand appears on the board, discard that clam. You can also carefully pry open any suspect clams with a paring knife to check.
Open the clams: Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add the clams, cover immediately with a lid, and cook until they have all opened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Strain the broth and shell the clams: Remove from the heat and transfer the clams to a bowl. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer (or cheesecloth) to eliminate any residual sand or grit, and set the warm liquid aside. Remove the clams from most of the shells, keeping the clam meat and a few intact shells for presentation; discard the empty shells.
Prep the remaining seafood and pasta water: Clean the calamari by removing the head, entrails, and outer skin; lightly score the surface or slice the tube open and cut into thin strips. Clean the langoustines by using kitchen shears to snip along the underside of the tail to remove the thin shell protecting the abdomen, then use a toothpick to gently extract and discard the dark intestinal vein to avoid bitterness. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them into wedges. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the spaghetti.
Cook the calamari and tomatoes: In a wide skillet, heat 25 g of extra virgin olive oil with the garlic clove. Once the garlic is golden, add the calamari and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, then deglaze with the white wine. Allow the alcohol to evaporate completely, remove and discard the garlic clove, add the cherry tomatoes, and cook for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, drop the spaghetti into the boiling water.
Combine and finish cooking the pasta: Add the langoustines to the skillet with the tomatoes and calamari, seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper. When the spaghetti is about 4 minutes shy of al dente, transfer it directly into the skillet using tongs. Continue cooking the pasta in the sauce, gradually adding the reserved clam broth as needed to create a glossy emulsion.
Garnish and serve: In the final minute of cooking, stir in the shelled clams along with the reserved whole clams. Remove from the heat, sprinkle generously with freshly chopped parsley, and toss everything together one last time. Serve the spaghetti allo scoglio piping hot.
