Lumache Alla Piemontese

Lumache Alla Piemontese

A classic Piedmontese snail dish, gently simmered in a fragrant garlic, anchovy, and white wine sauce, often served over soft polenta.

Prep

20 min

Cook

30 min

Total

50 min

Serves

4 as a main, 6 as an appetizer

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) canned snails (drained), If using fresh snails, they must be purged and boiled; canned are pre-cooked and safe to eat after reheating.
• •50 g (3½ tbsp) unsalted butter
• •2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• •4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• •4 filets anchovy fillets (drained), Can be omitted, but they add classic umami.
• •1 tbsp tomato paste, Optional, for richness.
• •150 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine, e.g., Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) chicken or vegetable stock, Low-sodium preferred.
• •1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped, About 1 cup chopped.
• •Salt and freshly ground black pepper, To taste.

Steps

1. 1 In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and anchovy fillets; cook, stirring frequently, until the anchovies dissolve into the fat and the garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 2–3 minutes.
2. 2 Stir in the tomato paste (if using) and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor. Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine bubble and reduce by half, about 3–4 minutes.
3. 3 Add the drained snails and pour in the stock. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly and the snails to absorb the flavors. Stir occasionally.
4. 4 Season with salt and pepper to taste. The sauce should be glossy and coat the back of a spoon; the snails should be heated through (if using canned, they are already cooked, so this is just a reheating step).
5. 5 Remove from heat and stir in the chopped parsley. Serve immediately over soft polenta, or with crusty bread for sopping up the sauce.