Creamy Clam Pasta Recipes

CREAMY LINGUINE WITH CLAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the linguine, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still slightly firm, about 11 minutes. Drain well.
• Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown slightly. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion becomes lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the reserved clam juice and wine. Simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Stir in the Alfredo sauce and clams; cook and stir until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Serve the clam sauce over the linguine, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

FETTUCCINE WITH CREAMY WHITE CLAM SAUCE

Steps:

• *Heavy cream is preferred, but half-and-half or light cream may be used but you'll probably have to thicken the sauce.
• **Fresh parsley is highly recommended for the flavor. But if you don't have it, 2 tbs of the dehydrted from the jar will do in a pinch.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and let it saute for about 1-2 minutes. Don't let it brown.
• Add the can of clams, including the liquor they are packed in.
• Add the salt, pepper and oregano and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Continue cooking uncovered over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about 25 % (about 10 minutes)
• Reduce heat and stir in the cream--do let it boil.
• If you used heavy cream, the sauce should be thick enough, but if you used half-and-half or light cream, you may have to thicken--
• TO THICKEN IF DESIRED:
• Mix 1 tbs of cornstarch in 2 tbs cold water and add to the sauce, stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens, about 1 minute.
• Serve over hot pasta and top each serving with 1 tbs of the finely chopped *fresh* parsley. (1/2 tbs each if using the dehydrated)

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• In large pot over high heat, bring 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to a boil. Add the linguine and cook according to the package directions until just shy of al dente (the pasta should still be firm to the bite since it will cook another minute or two in the sauce).
• Meanwhile, in a very large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, red pepper flakes, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, clams, and ¼ cup of the parsley; bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the clams open, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.
• Reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, drain the linguine in a colander (do not rinse). Add the pasta to the sauté pan with the clams. (If you don't have room for everything in one pan, transfer the clams to a plate and cover to keep warm. When ready to serve, add them back to the pasta on a serving platter). Increase the heat to medium and cook the linguini with the clams, tossing occasionally, until the pasta absorbs most of the sauce and is just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. If necessary, add some of reserved cooking water to keep moist. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley; toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, lemon zest and/or lemon juice, if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish or bowls and serve.
• Note: When cooking with wine, select a bottle that is inexpensive (under $10) but still good enough to drink. Avoid "cooking wines," which are salty and include additives.

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the clams and wine. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until most clams have opened.
• Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.
• Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse pasta with water - this will remove the pasta's natural starches. Place pasta into the clam saute pan and mix thoroughly. Check seasoning.
• Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Zest lemon over the dish, being carefull not to zest the white part of the lemon, which is bitter. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

CREAMY CAMPFIRE CLAM PASTA WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Mix together the parsley, red pepper flakes, garlic, butter, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Transfer to a small plastic storage container with a lid and freeze until ready to use. (Pack the frozen butter in your cooler, it will help cool your food.)
• Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until golden and toasted, about 4 minutes. Can be made a day ahead, pack in a small plastic re-sealable bag.
• (Make sure to pack all of the other ingredients and equipment.)
• Build a medium-high campfire that has a grate for cooking.
• When ready to cook, combine the tomatoes, clams and 1 1/2 cups water in a large saucepan, on the grate, directly over the fire and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling sauce and stir to coat. Bring back to a boil for 30 seconds then remove from the heat and cover with a lid, let sit for 3 minutes. Uncover and stir in the butter (which will have thawed in the cooler) and the juice of the zested lemon.
• Divide among 4 bowls and top with breadcrumbs.

MARK BITTMAN'S PASTA WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• Steam the clams in a covered pot (a glass top is very nice, voyeuristically speaking). You don't need any liquid other than what the clams will release. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
• After the clams open - it could take as little as 10 minutes - uncover and cool. Take the meat out and strain and reserve the liquid; make sure to leave any sand behind. Chop the clams if they're big.
• Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water. Put 1/4 cup olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the clams and continue to cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved clam liquid.
• Drain the pasta when it's nearly done and stir it into the clams. Cook, stirring, until the pasta is tender and the mixture is saucy. Add more clam-cooking liquid (or hot water or white wine), if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little more oil if you like. Garnish, and serve.

LINGUINE WITH CLAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until 2 minutes short of al dente (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
• While the pasta cooks, make your sauce: Heat the oil in a deep-sided 12-inch skillet over medium. Add the garlic, red-pepper flakes and oregano and cook until the garlic is pale golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vermouth and simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the clams with their juices and cook until just warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Add the cooked pasta directly to the skillet along with the butter and lemon zest and toss until the butter has melted and the pasta is glossy with sauce. If needed, add 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Stir in half the parsley.
• Serve pasta topped with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and the remaining parsley. Serve lemon wedges alongside if you like.

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, soak clams in cold water.
• Add spaghetti to boiling water, and cook until slightly underdone; pasta will finish cooking in sauce. Meanwhile, place a large saucepan over medium-low heat, and add olive oil, garlic and chili pepper. Sauté gently, reducing heat if necessary so garlic does not brown.
• Add vermouth and clams, and cover. Clams should open in about 2 minutes. (If pasta is ready first, drain it and toss with a small amount of olive oil.) Add hot drained pasta, cover, and shake pot gently. Allow to simmer for another 1 or 2 minutes until it is done to taste.
• Discard any clams that have not opened. Add half the parsley, and shake pan to distribute evenly. Transfer to a plate or bowl, and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

CREAMY CLAM PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Saute onions and garlic in olive oil over low heat.
• Add butter, stir until incorporated.
• Stir in milk, clam juice, and seasonings, cook over med.
• heat utill thickened.
• Add clams, and simmer until Pasta is cooked.
• Prepare your favorite Pasta, drain, and top with a generous portion of sauce.
• Top with grated Parmesan.