Linguine with clams is a classic Italian dish and all around crowd-pleaser. Though we have shellfish allergies in our family, mollusks (which is the category of shellfish clams belong to), are often less allergenic than crustaceans, and therefore more people can enjoy them. This dish, prepared with local little neck clams from our farmers' markets, is one that my Italian American husband makes best, and it's our favorite Friday night family meal lately. It only requires a couple of fresh ingredients, and aside from scrubbing the clams individually to remove any grit or sand, it takes very little time or effort. Here's how to pull it together:
Ingredients: (serves 4)
1 pound of linguine
About 3 dozen clams, scrubbed clean and rinsed well under cold water (the smaller the clams, the more tender and less chewy they are, which is especially important when serving this dish to little kids)
1/2 cup of dry white wine
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh flat-leafed Italian parsley
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
To prepare:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook linguine until still firm, about two minutes before it would be done.
Meanwhile, in a large, shallow pan, heat oil and add garlic and crushed pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat for two minutes, then add clams so that they are spread out in a single layer, and white wine.
Cover and cook clams over medium high heat until they open up, about five to seven minutes.
Drain the cooked pasta reserving a cup of pasta water.
When clams have opened up, remove them from the pan and place them in a bowl aside, discarding any that do not open within a few minutes of the others.
Add your pasta to the wine and clam broth pan, and cook over medium heat about two minutes more until just done, and the clam juice and wine is absorbed. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if you need some extra liquid, but not too much as this will dilute the delicious, briny flavor of the clam broth.
Add fresh parsley, and toss pasta well.
Serve immediately with about nine clams per person (or less for kids, and little more for adults).
Enjoy!
Ingredients: (serves 4)
1 pound of linguine
About 3 dozen clams, scrubbed clean and rinsed well under cold water (the smaller the clams, the more tender and less chewy they are, which is especially important when serving this dish to little kids)
1/2 cup of dry white wine
4-5 cloves of garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh flat-leafed Italian parsley
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
To prepare:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook linguine until still firm, about two minutes before it would be done.
Meanwhile, in a large, shallow pan, heat oil and add garlic and crushed pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat for two minutes, then add clams so that they are spread out in a single layer, and white wine.
Cover and cook clams over medium high heat until they open up, about five to seven minutes.
Drain the cooked pasta reserving a cup of pasta water.
When clams have opened up, remove them from the pan and place them in a bowl aside, discarding any that do not open within a few minutes of the others.
Add your pasta to the wine and clam broth pan, and cook over medium heat about two minutes more until just done, and the clam juice and wine is absorbed. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if you need some extra liquid, but not too much as this will dilute the delicious, briny flavor of the clam broth.
Add fresh parsley, and toss pasta well.
Serve immediately with about nine clams per person (or less for kids, and little more for adults).
Enjoy!
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