I know, I know. Two pasta recipes in a row? Am I some kind of madwoman?
I assure you that I’m not. Well, not that mad, anyway. I just really like pasta, you guys. Especially pasta that is clams and linguine.
This past weekend, my friend Nicole admitted that she had never cooked clams before and found the idea intimidating. “This will not do!” I cried, except in a much less dramatic fashion. So on Saturday, I picked up a bunch of manila clams from Taylor Shellfish Farms and Nicole came over to don a cute apron and help cook.
It’s nice to have a sous-chef!
The first time I cooked clams, I was nervous too, but it’s super easy. They cook really quickly, and if you’re worried about getting sick, just remember to toss out any clams that don’t open all the way after cooking; don’t force any open! The partly closed ones (or completely closed ones) were likely dead before you cooked them, and you don’t want to eat those. You can keep your clams alive and happy for up to a day by keeping them in the fridge, covered with a damp paper towel. Make sure they’re not in water, either.
Your reward for tackling these clams will be a wonderfully delectable, light, and spicy dinner, and if you’re like me, serve it with a glass of white wine and a viewing of Return of the King (extended edition, of course). Although, I’m glad there were no cherry tomatoes involved because of this scene:
WHO EATS LIKE THAT.
Linguine and Clams
Barely tweaked from Epicurious
Yield: serves 4-5
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
1 lb linguine
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 lbs manila clams (or New Zealand cockles or littleneck), scrubbed
1 tbs red pepper flakes (plus some more for sprinkling)
1 cup dry white wine (I used pinot gris)
14 oz whole canned San Marzano tomatoes, juices reserved
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped (plus some more for sprinkling)
2 tbs butter, chilled
Cook linguine according to instructions until 1 minute before al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. When the olive oil is hot, add the garlic and stir rapidly for 30 seconds until the garlic is just golden brown. Add clams and red pepper and stir for about a minute.
Add the white wine, parsley, and tomatoes and juice. Before adding the tomatoes, though, crush them with your hands (or a tomato masher if you don’t want to get your mitts dirty). Simmer uncovered until the clams open, about 8 minutes, and stir to make sure all the clams come in contact with the cooking liquid.
Add the linguine and toss, simmering for another minute until the linguine is tender. Remove from heat and add another sprinkling of parsley, some more red pepper flakes, another dash of extra virgin olive oil, and the two tablespoons of chilled butter and toss some more until the butter is melted and distributed. Serve immediately, maybe with some delicious garlic bread!
