Italian Recipe - Spaghetti Con le Telline

This Italian recipe is for spaghetti with telline, yet if you leave the pasta out and stop once the telline are open, the sautee di telline are a tasty appetiser on their own.

Ingredients

800-1000 g telline(wedge sheels) 

400-500 g of spaghetti 

2-3 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil 

1 garlic clove 

1 dry cayenne peeper 

half a glas of white wine 

1 tbsp of chooped parsley 

water and salt for cooking the pasta 

Italian Cooking

1. Start heating the pasta water as usual 
   
2. When the pasta water is close to boiling start heating the oil over a medium flame in a pan wide enough to hold all the telline in one layer.
   
3. Once the oil is hot but not smoking add the garlic and cayenne pepper. 
   
4. As soon the garlic turns golden brown turn the heat up to the maximum and add the telline.
   
5. Shake the pan to distribute the telline as well as possible.
   
6. Add the wine 
   
7. The telline should all open in the first two three minutes, any that remain shut should be discarded together with the garlic and cayenne pepper. 
   
8. The pasta water will probably be boiling by now, so add the spaghetti, pushing them down so they fit into the pot and check them from time to time cooking till slightly short of all dente.
   
9. You can add the telline to the pasta in their shells or remove the clam meat from most of the shells, keeping only a few as is to decorate the dishes.
   
10. As soon as the pasta is cooked drain it and add it to the pan you have use for telline, together with the telline juices.
    
11. Toss for a minute over a medium flame to blend the flavours. 
    
12. You could serve it in warm dishes and garnish with the remaining telline in their shells.
    

This is a great, elegant Italian Recipe for your dinner parties over the holidays.  This Italian recipe serves 4, however, if you use the telline without the pasta, you can make a great appetizer to put on a party tray or out at finger foods.