Who knew that linguine in clams was something you could make at home?! Most of the ingredients are pantry and fridge staples. Fresh, live clams make this dish a real treat. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
½ pound of linguine (we like this one)
2 cans chopped clams, mostly drained
12 fresh, live clams, soaked for 30 mins. in saltwater then scrubbed
1Tbsp. good olive oil
4 medium-large garlic cloves, minced
½ cup of roughly chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley (1/4 cup is used in the recipe; the other 1/4 cup is used as garnish)
Several pinches of red pepper flakes (approx. 1 Tbsp., but adjust based on your preferred spice level)
1/3 cup of California chardonnay (we like Kendall Jackson)
Salt
Pepper
Shaved Parmesan
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup reserved pasta water
Cookware:
Measuring spoons and cups
Can opener
Cutting board
Knife
Large (12 inch+) sauté pan with lid)
Pot for pasta
Tongs or strainer
Spatula
Directions:
You will start the pasta and cook the sauce simultaneously. Please read the cooking directions for your linguine before you start cooking so you can time this correctly.
- Follow the package directions to cook your linguine al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water to use in the sauce.
- Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in your pan over medium-low heat.
- Sauté garlic in the oil over medium-low heat for about 30 seconds, stirring regularly to prevent garlic from burning.
- Add wine, 1/2 tsp. salt (This is the recommended amount, but you may want to start with less and adjust for taste as clams can be salty.), parsley, ¼ tsp. black pepper, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute, stirring gently.
- Add the chopped clams sauté pan and cook them for a few minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add the cooked linguine (use tongs or a strainer) and about ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to the pan. Stir to combine.
- Add the fresh clams and 1 Tbsp. of butter to the pan. At this point, only stir rarely. Leaving the clams on top of the pasta will help them open.
- Cover the pan. The clams open when they are cooked, and this takes 5-10 minutes depending on the claims. You may occasionally check on the clams and add additional reserved pasta water if needed.
To serve, place the linguine in a bowl. Garnish with parsley, shaved parmesan, finishing salt. You may also add additional red pepper flakes and/or a drizzle of olive oil.