Hilopita alle Vongole with Parsley Pesto and Chili
FOR THE PESTO:
Put all the ingredients in the blender and process it until you get a beautiful paste.
FOR HILOPITA:
Pour sufficient water and coarse salt in a bowl and mix well. Put the carpet shells in and leave for one hour till their sand is washed out.
Rub with a brush to remove anything stuck to the shells and wash very well with running water. Drain in a colander.
Boil the hilopita al dente, in a large pot with salted water. Drain and keep warm.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
Add the garlic and chili peppers and sauté for 1½ minutes.
Add the shells and shake the frying pan
Deglaze with the wine and shake the frying pan until all shells open, for about 5 minutes.
Toss those that do not open and transfer the rest to a bowl using a strainer.
Place the frying pan back on heat and let the sauce cook until reduced to half.
Put the hilopita and the pesto in and mix well using locking tongs.
Add the carpet shells and continue to mix gently.
Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately
PREPERATION
15 mins
COOKING
15 λεπτά
SERVINGS
4
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
Easy
What you will need
INGREDIENTS
400 g hilopita Νο2 ZIMARIKA PSACHNON
1 kg carpet shells, grooved carpet shells or hard clams
coarse salt
30 ml olive oil
150 ml white wine
2 chili peppers (or more), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
salt
FOR THE PARSLEY PESTO
30 g pine nuts, toasted
30 ml olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bunch of parsley, just the leaves
salt, freshly grounded pepper