Inspired by childhood memories of hunting pipis in
the sand, Elena Duggan creates a simple shellfish
dish with more than a hint of Italian about it.@elena_jo_dugganSPAGHETTI WITH PIPIS
SERVES 41 garlic bulb, halved crossways(^1) / 4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus
extra to drizzle
500g cherry tomatoes on the vine
6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
375g gluten-free spaghetti
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup (250ml) prosecco (substitute
dry sparkling wine)
1kg pipis or clams (vongole), rinsed
Shaved parmesan and flat-leaf parsley
leaves, to serve
Preheat the oven grill to medium.
Brush garlic with 1 tbs oil and place
cut-side up on a baking tray. Place under
grill for 6-8 minutes or until golden. Add
tomatoes to tray and return tray to grill,
checking often, for a further 3 minutes or
until tomatoes are blistered. Set aside.
When garlic is cool enough to handle,
squeeze flesh onto a chopping board with
anchovies. Finely chop both together and,
using the back of the knife, mash to a
paste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Cook spaghetti according to packet
instructions and drain, reserving^1 / 2 cup
(125ml) cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbs oil in
a large heavy-based saucepan with a lid
over medium-high heat. Add onion and
cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or
until onion has softened but not coloured.
Add anchovy mixture and cook, stirring, for
2-3 minutes or until starting to catch on the
base of the pan. Increase heat to high, add
prosecco and bring to the boil. Cook,
scraping the bottom of the pan with a
wooden spoon, for 3 minutes or until
reduced by half. Add pipis and cover.
Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, for
3-4 minutes or until pipis start to open.
Add tomatoes, spaghetti and reserved
cooking liquid, and toss for 2 minutes or
until well combined. Discard any pipis that
remain closed.
Transfer spaghetti mixture to a serving
platter and drizzle with extra oil. Scatter
with parmesan and parsley leaves, and
serve immediately.
LIFE’S A BEACH
WORDS & RECIPE
ELENA DUGGAN
PHOTOGRAPHY
NIGEL LOUGH
STYLING
KIRSTEN JENKINS
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
NETWORK TEN/KELLY GARDNER
delicious.com.au/recipes For more of Elena’s recipes.
I LOVED COLLECTING buckets of pipis as a kid. Watching for the little bubbles to
surface, then getting my hands down in the sand, deep enough and fast enough to
grab one. We used them as bait for bigger catch, overlooking their sweet simplicity.
Similarly as a kid, I thought of clams as vibrantly painted decorations dotting my beach
walks, or as giant alien-looking monsters spotted while diving on the Barrier Reef. They
were definitely not something I would have considered cooking up for dinner back then.
But times and tastes change, and now shellfish is something to be savoured, as in
the recipe here. It’s simple in its elegance; a celebration of the ingredients without
overcomplicating the process. For gluten lovers, use your favourite spaghetti or even
make your own. I’ve used gluten-free here, but there are amazing seaweed spaghettis
that work beautifully by complementing the salty, sweet ocean flavours of the pipis.
And forget the haters who insist you can’t have cheese with seafood. Think of lobster
mornay, tuna bake or salmon and cream cheese. Boost the umami here with parmesan.
Be as generous as you desire; in this dish, it’s just another layer of deliciousness.
42 delicious.com.au
MASTERCHEF.