The best capellini is a simple recipe using only clams and cherry tomatoes in a light lemon-butter sauce. This particular dish is so easy to put together that it takes only 20 minutes from stove to table.

Capellini is a variety of pasta. While appearing very much like angel hair pasta, capellini is slightly thicker, measuring between 0.85 mm – 0.92 mm in diameter while angel hair is 0.78 mm – 0.88 mm in diameter.

To cook the pasta just right, follow the package instructions carefully. To avoid clumping, stir to loosen the pasta while it cooks in the boiling salted water.

Ingredients

• 225 g capellini
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 dried red chili, seeded and cut into short pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 700 g clams, cleaned and scrubbed
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• 3 dashes ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, optional
• 8 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Lemon wedges, for garnishing

Method

• Bring water to boil in a pot. Cook the capellini until al dente, according to the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.
• Prepare the ingredients: minced garlic, capers and dried red chilies.
• Heat up a skillet and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter melts, add the garlic, capers and dried red chilies.Sauté for 10 seconds.
• Add the clams, stir a few times before adding the white wine. Cover the skillet with its lid and steam the clams until they are open.
• Add lemon juice, salt, ground black pepper and chicken bouillon powder (if using).
• Add the cherry tomatoes and parsley. Add the capellini to the skillet, stir to combine well.
• Dish out, add lemon wedges as a garnish and serve immediately.

This recipe can be found in Rasa Malaysia.

Low Bee Yinn is a food blogger and cookbook author.