Periwinkle & Herb Linguine

Delicate pasta tossed with extracted periwinkle meat, garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs. Light and elegant.

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Serves 4

Medium

Ingredients

1
Rinse the periwinkles thoroughly under cold running water 5-6 times until the water runs clear. Discard any that are cracked or don't close when tapped.
2
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the linguine according to packet instructions until al dente. Reserve 200ml of pasta water before draining.
3
While the pasta cooks, heat 50ml of olive oil in a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the periwinkles and white wine, cover immediately, and cook for 5-7 minutes until the operculum loosens. Remove from heat and set aside.
4
Using a toothpick or seafood fork, extract the periwinkle meat from the shells. Discard the shells and the small operculum disc. This takes patience but is worth it.
5
Wipe out the pan and add the remaining 50ml of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes, cooking for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is just golden (not brown).
6
Add the extracted periwinkle meat to the pan and toss gently for 1 minute to coat in the garlic oil.
7
Add the drained linguine to the pan along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and half the fresh herbs. Toss everything together, adding splashes of reserved pasta water to create a silky sauce that coats the pasta.
8
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among warmed bowls, drizzle with extra olive oil, and scatter with the remaining fresh herbs. Serve immediately with parmesan on the side if desired.

💡Extracting the periwinkle meat takes time - do this step while the pasta water comes to the boil.
💡Don't let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter. Golden and fragrant is what you're after.
💡The pasta water is key - it contains starch that helps the sauce emulsify and cling to the linguine.
💡Some purists skip the parmesan with seafood pasta, but a light grating works well here if you like it.