Instructions
It’s a special technique that takes some getting used to. I generally have a dig every three steps or so, finding my rhythm as I wend my way along the shoreline, washed in the rush of the waves. The onset of warmer weather means that life is all about the pipi hunt.
Pipis are wedge-shaped bivalve molluscs native to Australia that are found along the water’s edge near rocky outcrops. They are filter-feeding sand dwellers, so to find them use your big toe to open up the holes in the wet sand formed by their breathing tubes. The pipi will be no more than 5-7cm under the sand. You’ll feel the shell under your foot and, with a little practice, you may even be able to pick it up with your toes. That’s the mark of a seasoned pipi-gatherer!
The bag limit in NSW is 50 pipis per person, which is enough for two people to enjoy a pipi-based entrée, or a fantastic Tuscan-inspired pasta dish.
When you buy, or gather, pipis they will need to be purged to remove the sand collected in their shells and their alimentary system. Place the pipis in a bucket of cold water and stir them thoroughly. Allow the pipis to sit on the bench for an hour, then change the water and repeat. The water should be cold, but never refrigerated, in order to encourage the pipis to open and flush.
Like most molluscs, pipis need to be cooked with a gentle touch as overcooking will dry them out and toughen them. Although there is not much content inside the shells, what meat there is has a rich briny flavour that pairs well with slightly acidic sauces. Think white wine, lemons or tomatoes. Chinese chefs will serve up pipis in XO sauce, a spicy Cantonese dressing made form dried fish, chilli and garlic. When the pipis are out of season, substitute with vongole, cockles, periwinkles or surf clams.
But the real thrill of eating pipis is knowing that you found them yourself, somewhere on the coast, on your own little stretch of Aussie beach.
Pipis with spaghetti alla chitarra