Linguine With White Clam Sauce

Lidia Celebrates America: Holiday Tables & Traditions by Lidia Bastianich

This Italian-American restaurant special from Lidia Bastianich’s new DVD, Lidia Celebrates America: Holiday Tables and Traditions, benefits from the use of fresh clams. They’re sautéed in garlic, anchovies, peperoncino (red pepper flakes), and oregano for a sublime flavor and fragrance, which impart themselves to the pasta, as well. Gather the family and serve the dish at your next Sunday meal.

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, sliced
4 anchovies, sliced
36 littleneck clams, scrubbed
1/4 teaspoon peperoncino
1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
1 pound linguine
3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil for pasta. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and cook until sizzling, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add anchovies and stir until the anchovies break up and dissolve into the oil, about 2 minutes.

2. Add the clams to the skillet, along with the peperoncino and oregano. Ladle in about 2 cups pasta water.

3. Bring to a simmer and cover until clams open, about 5 to 7 minutes. As the clams open, remove to a bowl. Meanwhile, add linguine to pasta water.

4. When all the clams are out, increase heat to high and add 1/2 cup of the parsley. Cook until reduced by half. Meanwhile, shuck the clams.

5. When the linguine is al dente and the sauce is reduced, add the pasta directly to the sauce and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook and toss until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Add shucked clams and remaining 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, Cook a minute more to blend the flavors and serve.

Note:
Linguine with red clam sauce is almost never found in Italy, but is a big seller in Italian-American restaurants here. When you go to Italy, eat it as they do, with white clam sauce, and never ever ask for cheese to put on your linguine with clam sauce.

Serves 6.

Recipe by Lidia Bastianich from Lidia Celebrates America: Holiday Tables & Traditions © 2011, published by Alfred A. Knopf.