In this classic pasta dish, linguine is tossed with clams, garlic, white wine, and lemon, for a light and delicious dinner!
Ingredients
1lblinguine
2dozenlittleneck clams*cleaned and maybe soaked (see note)
2tbspolive oil
2tbspsalted butter
3tbspminced garlic
1/4tspred pepper flakes
1/4cupwhite wine**
1/4cupclam juice
2tbsplemon juice
1/4cupchopped parsley
salt
black pepper
Instructions
You want to time this dish so that the pasta *just* finishes cooking to al dente right when the clams and sauce are ready. Read all instructions before you begin cooking.
Bring a big pot of salted*** water to a boil in preparation for cooking the linguine noodles.
Get a large skillet that has a lid, and place the olive oil, butter, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the pan. Heat over medium heat for 2 minutes, until it smells fragrant.
Add the white wine, clam juice, and lemon juice and raise the heat to medium high. Add the clams and cover the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the clams open (if the clams don’t open, you can cook them for another couple minutes, but if they don’t open at all, throw them out, since this means they were dead before cooking).
Begin cooking the linguine to al dente in the big pot of salted water, according to package directions. Cook time is usually about 9 minutes, but can vary by brand.
When the clams have opened, remove them to a plate using a slotted spoon, and bump the heat up to high. Reduce the cooking liquid for a few minutes, until you have about 3 tbsp of liquid remaining.
The linguine should be just about done by now. Use tongs to add the noodles directly from the water to the clam sauce pan (the starchy water that comes with the noodles will help create a sauce). Toss to coat, add the clams back in, and throw in the parsley. Season with pepper, to taste. Enjoy while hot!
Notes
*Determine whether or not you want to soak the clams in salt water before cooking. Some people don't bother if the clams are farm raised, however I always prefer to clean and soak them. Follow my instructions for How to Clean Clams in order to get the inner sand and gunk out before cooking. If the outer shells are dirty, rinse them and wipe away any mud or debris with a sponge or brush. Because you will be adding the shells to the pasta, you don't want them to be dirty.**Use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Chenin Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc can work well too.***Amount of salt needed depends on how much water you're using and the type of salt you use. But as a guide, the water should taste as salty as ocean water. In other words, a little repulsive, but not overbearingly so. Storing leftovers: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months, but know that it’s far inferior upon thawing because so much of that fresh and bright flavor is lost. To thaw, leave in the fridge overnight.Reheating: I recommend removing the clams from the shells first, then microwave in 30-second intervals at 70% power until warmed through.