Name: Clam or Cockle Soup with Borlotti Beans (Zuppa di Vongole)
Yield: Makes 4 First-Course Servings
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 1 cup dried borlotti, cannellini, or Great Northern beans, soaked in water to cover for 3 hours; 2 pounds small clams or cockles, about 50, scrubbed and rinsed; 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley; 2 cups dry white wine; salt and pepper; 1 bouquet garni

Preparation info

Makes
4
First-Course Servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Splendid Soups

By James Peterson

Published 2000

About

As with so many of my Italian food experiences, I first had this soup in New York. I would never have thought of combining beans and clams, but the association is delicate and intriguing. This recipe includes a fair amount of fresh parsley, which contributes to the freshness of the dish.

Use the smallest clams you can find—Manila clams are my favorite—or better yet, tiny New Zealand cockles, which are beginning to appear more regularly in fancy fish markets.

This soup is bes