This Spaghetti With Clams is Chef David Hawksworth’s refined and enduring take on the Italian classic — a dish that has become a signature for good reason. Built on simplicity and restraint, it balances briny seafood, gentle heat, and richness in a way that feels both timeless and deeply considered.
“For this Nightingale dish, we always use fresh spaghetti and B.C. Manila clams poached in fragrant clam stock,” Hawksworth says, grounding the recipe in local ingredients and technique. The clams are gently steamed with white wine, garlic, and clam nectar, creating a silky, aromatic sauce that clings to the pasta without overwhelming it. Butter and generous lemon juice add richness and lift, while the sauce is intentionally kept loose — allowing the flavours of spaghetti, clams, wine, and stock to work together naturally.
Rather than relying on dried chili flakes, Hawksworth finishes the dish with fresh jalapeño, chosen for the way “the heat hits you farther back in the throat,” adding warmth without sharpness. Parsley brings freshness, while the balance of acidity, salinity, and fat gives the dish its lasting appeal. “Spaghetti, clams, white wine and clam nectar all go so incredibly well together,” he notes — a harmony that explains why this pasta has stood the test of time.
Elegant yet unfussy, this is the kind of dish that feels equally suited to a relaxed weeknight dinner or a wine-forward evening at the table. As Hawksworth puts it, “No other dish has stayed on the menu as long as this one.” It’s a testament to the power of thoughtful ingredients, careful technique, and knowing when to let simplicity speak for itself.
Spaghetti With Clams
Ingredients
Clam Stock
- olive oil for sautéing
- 1 small fennel bulb thinly sliced
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 12 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 cups white wine
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1 small can (295 mL/10 oz) clam juice
- 3 bay leaves
Clam Spaghetti
- 14 oz (400 g) good-quality fresh or dry spaghetti
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic fin ly chopped
- 1 lb (about 30) Manila or littleneck clams see note
- ½ cup butter
- pinch dried red chili flakes
- ¼ bunch parsley chiffonade
- 1 lemon juice
- 3 scallions finely sliced
- ½ small jalapeno halved and finely diced
- Salt
Instructions
Clam Stock
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sweat the fennel, onions and garlic, stirring frequently, until softened, 8 to 12 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce the liquid by half. Add the clam juice and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the stock and discard the solids. Set aside the stock.
Clam Spaghetti
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rapid boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the garlic and sweat for 1 minute. Add the clams and some of the clam stock (you may not require all of it, depending how saucy you like your pasta), and cover immediately. Keep covered until the clams are fully open, 3 to 4 minutes; discard any that remain closed. Add the cooked spaghetti, butter and chili flakes and cook for a few more minutes. Adjust with more clam stock if needed. Add the parsley, lemon juice, scallions and jalapeno and toss well to combine. Season with salt as needed and serve.
Notes
Tip:
Always make sure to choose very fresh clams and "purge" them to get rid of all possible sand: flush them in ice-cold salted water (2 tbsp salt per 4 cups), changing the solution two or three times during the process.More recipes from Chef David Hawksworth
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This Roasted Delicata Squash Salad turns simple winter squash into a standout dish with contrasting textures and bright flavours. Tender slices of delicata — skin left on for sweetness and ease — are roasted until caramelized, then paired with tangy Macedonian feta, toasted almonds and jewel-like pomegranate seeds.
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David Hawksworth's elaborate dark chocolate fondant dessert served with burned orange compote and hazelnut.
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Chef David Hawksworth's Chinatown-inspired recipe for roasted Peking duck salad. Crispy duck is tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing made with ketchup, soy sauce and honey, with a spicy, crunchy salad of watercress, carrot and daikon.
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Chef David Hawksworth's Chinatown-inspired recipe for roasted Peking duck salad. Crispy duck is tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing made with ketchup, soy sauce and honey, with a spicy, crunchy salad of watercress, carrot and daikon.
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Excerpted from Hawksworth by David Hawksworth, Jacob Richler and Stéphanie Nöel. Copyright © 2020 David Hawksworth. Photography by Clinton Hussey. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
