Pasta with Clams

Tonight's recipe costs around $2.50 per serving.  The recipe as listed serves 6 but you can adjust it to serve anywhere from 2 to ????.  Your shopping list follows.

• 1 lb pasta - any shape
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 dozen little neck clams
• 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
• Grated parm or romano to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

First and most importantly - clean and scrub your clams.

• Fill a large bowl with cold water and add some Kosher salt (a few tablespoons) and about 1/2 cup of corn meal.  Mix and then add your clams.  Soak the clams in the liquid for at least one hour - no more than 2 hours.  Sitting in this mixture will make the clams secrete their sand and waste.
• Remove the clams from the bowl using tongs or a slotted spoon and place them in a colander.
• Discard any clams that do not close tightly and those that have visible chips in the shell.
• Rinse the clams and scrub them with a brush to remove any debris (I use an old toothbrush).
• Now your clams are ready to incorporate into the recipe.

 Cook your pasta 3 minutes less then the package directions call for (it will cook more later) and drain it but remember to reserve some of the cooking liquid (around 1 cup).

 

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 3 Tbsp oil.  When the oil is heated, add the garlic and cook until golden (1-2 minutes).  Add the pepper flakes and cook for another minute.  Add the wine and the cleaned scrubbed clams.  Turn the heat up to high and cover the skillet.  You need to watch the clams closely.  As they open, remove them from the skillet and place them in a bowl.  Depending on the size of the clams, this will take 2-5 minutes.

 

Once you have removed all of the clams, add 1/2 cup of the pasta liquid to the skillet and bring to a boil.  Once the liquid in the skillet is boiling, add the cooked pasta and toss constantly until it has had a chance to absorb some of the liquid (2 minutes).  Then add the clams and whatever liquid has accumulated in the bowl to the skillet.  Add the parsley, salt, and pepper, and toss to mix.  If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. 

Serve your pasta and clams with a drizzle of some olive oil (optional) and garnish with the grated cheese.

Serve with a salad.  DELICIOUS!!