Cherry Tomato Red Clam Sauce With Linguini Recipes

LINGUINE WITH RED CLAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Set a large 1-gallon pot of water with a pasta insert over high heat. Bring to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt. Add the uncooked pasta to the water and cook for 7 minutes. (The pasta should be undercooked.) Drain the pasta in a colander and reserve.
• Begin making the sauce while the pasta is cooking. Set a large 14-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan and once hot, add the onions and saute until lightly caramelized and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and tomato paste, stir to combine well, and cook until the wine has nearly completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, remaining teaspoon of salt, and the par-cooked pasta to the pan, toss to combine, and bring the sauce to a boil. Add the clams to the pan and cover. Continue to cook until the shells open, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the parsley and toss to combine. Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil over the pasta and toss to combine. Serve while hot.

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS, CHERRY TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant; don't let the garlic brown. Add the cherry tomatoes, white wine and clams, increase the heat to high and cover the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the clams have opened, about 8 minutes. As the clams open, transfer them to a large bowl. When all the clams are removed, reduce the heat to medium-low and swirl in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine according to the package direction. Using tongs, transfer the linguine to the saute pan with the clam juice and toss to coat. Turn off the heat and add the clams and any juices that have collected in the bowl, the lemon zest and half of the basil. Using tongs, turn the linguine to coat it with the sauce. Top with the remaining basil. Serve immediately.

LINGUINE AND CLAMS WITH FRESH RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions until 3 minutes shy of al dente. (It will finish cooking in the sauce; pasta should be toothsome but not crunchy.) Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, once pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and start to pop, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add reserved clam juice (you should have about 1 cup) and stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add sauce, pasta, 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the butter back to the large pot, and cook, stirring vigorously, until sauce is thickened and pasta is al dente, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup more pasta water if a thinner sauce is desired.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the clams, cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide pasta among bowls and garnish with cheese, parsley, black pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using.