Spicy Lemony Clams With Pasta Recipes

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.

SPICY LEMONY CLAMS WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot three-quarters full of water, and add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, and add pasta. Boil until pasta is al dente, 7 to 8 minutes, and drain well. While pasta is cooking, prepare sauce.
• In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat olive oil. Add garlic, and saute just until garlic is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add clams and wine, and cover immediately. Raise heat to medium-high. Shake pan often, and check clams after 4 minutes. If any have opened, transfer them to a bowl so they do not overcook. Simmer remaining clams until all have opened.
• In a large serving bowl, combine clams and broth from pan. Add pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Add drained pasta, and toss well. Serve in soup bowls, accompanied by hot sourdough toast.

SPICY LINGUINE WITH CLAMS AND MUSSELS

Steps:

• Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the butter and parsley and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Sauce: In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the wine and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, red pepper flakes, clams and mussels. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until all the shellfish have opened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened shellfish.
• Using tongs, remove the shellfish from the pan and reserve. Season the cooking liquid with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour the shellfish cooking liquid over the pasta and toss well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the reserved shellfish on top of the pasta and serve.

SPICY SQUID RAGU WITH PASTA & CLAMS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan or flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat and fry the onions for 8-10 mins until golden. Scatter in the garlic and chilli, season with salt and cook for 2 mins more. Stir through the squid and cook for another 10 mins until the squid has tightened up and any liquid has evaporated. Splash in the wine and bubble away for 5-6 mins, then tip in the tomatoes. Stir well, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 25-30 mins until the squid is tender and the sauce thick and rich. Once completely cooled, the ragu can be covered and chilled for up to two days or frozen for a month. Defrost completely in the fridge overnight and reheat over a low heat until bubbling before continuing with step two, below.
• Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water for a minute less than pack instructions. Meanwhile, stir the clams or mussels into the ragu. Cover with a lid and cook over a medium heat for 6-8 mins, giving the pan an occasional shake until all the clams have opened - remove and discard any that remain closed after this time. Turn off the heat.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Stir the pasta into the ragu and warm everything through over a low heat for a minute, adding a small splash of the reserved water if the sauce needs to be loosened. Turn off the heat and add a drizzle of oil, the parsley leaves and lemon zest. Stir, then bring the pan to the table for serving alongside a separate bowl to collect the clam shells.

PASTA PAELLA WITH CLAMS AND SPICY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Cut zucchini and tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and keep vegetables separate. Chop onion and mince garlic.
• In a heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté uncooked pasta, turning occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer pasta to a bowl. In oil remaining in kettle sauté zucchini with salt to taste, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes, and transfer to another bowl. Squeeze sausage from casings into kettle and add onion and garlic. Sauté mixture, stirring and breaking up sausage, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, water, and wine and bring to a boil. Add pasta and clams and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes, or until clams are opened and pasta is al dente. (Discard any unopened clams.) Stir in zucchini and parsley and cook until heated through.

SPICY CLAM PASTA WITH BACON, PEAS AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put basil, parsley and garlic in a mortar or food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 cup oil. Pound or whiz to obtain a bright green purée.
• Put a pot of water on to boil and make it very salty. (It will boil faster with the lid on.)
• Over medium heat, render bacon in its own fat until browned and crisp but not hard, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off fat but leave a small amount in the pan, just to coat the bottom.
• Increase heat to medium-high, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the clams, serrano chile and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring and coating clams well. Add peas and warm through, then turn off heat.
• Boil pasta and cook until slightly underdone. Drain pasta and add to pan with clams. Turn heat to medium-high and stir all together. Add a splash of pasta water, if it seems dry. Add basil purée and toss well. Top with bacon and reserved basil leaves. Pass lemon wedges.