Italian-born Silvia Colloca shares her Spaghettini with Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio.

In Silvia’s Cucina, you are invited into her kitchen to share the unfussy, delicious, recipes that have been passed down through her family for generations. Food is traditional, authentic and embedded in it is the legacy of the hands of her mother and grandmother.

Celebrating sixty years, Santa Margherita’s Pinot Grigio debuted in the Italian wine market: a new, elegant and modern wine that spurred a revolution in taste and wine-drinking pleasure. To celebrate Silvia Colloca has created bespoke Italian recipes that not only pair with Santa Margherita wines but also adds a splash in her recipe.  

Spaghettini with Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, with Cherry tomatoes, baby capers and vongole.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, skin on, bashed with the palm of your hand
• 3 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1⁄2 red chilli thinly sliced, plus extra to garnish
• 200ml Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
• 1 small handful of baby capers, well washed
• 650g of cherry tomatoes
• 1.5kg of vongole, well washed
• 400g spaghettini
• 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Add the garlic, spring onion and chilli and toss until the garlic starts to become golden and fragrant.
3. Add the vongole, tomatoes, capers, pour in the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and cook for about 2 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated.
4. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and allow the shells to open. They will start to open after 1‒2 minutes. As they do, fish them out with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a clean bowl. Discard any that don’t open.
5. In the meantime, drop your spaghettini into the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes, to just before al dente. Remove the spaghettini with tongs and drop them into the wine and tomato sauce, dragging along a little pasta cooking water.
6. Start stirring gently for 1‒2 minutes—the sauce will thicken ever so slightly as the spaghettini soak up all the juices. Turn off the heat, then return the open vongole to the pan, along with the precious juices they released while resting. Scatter over the parsley and extra chilli and eat straight away.