A briny garlic and wine sauce, tender delicious clams served over linguine with fresh herbs make the perfect dish!
Linguine and Clam Sauce is just a classic combination
The best part is that it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to make from scratch and boy is it ever so delicious
And of course we had to add some Simply Sundays flair for that extra pop of flavor!
For this recipe we are using 2 dozen little neck clams
Make sure you scrub them well, under cold water, to remove any excess grit they may have on them
After all this is Linguine and Clam Sauce….not Lin-GRITTY and Clam Sauce!
Let’s get started on the linguine
We have a pound of pasta and 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt
Add the salt to a pasta pot and fill with cold water
Bring to a rapid boil then add in the pasta
Cook the linguine a little less then the directions call for, as you will finish cooking it in the clam sauce later on
Drain reserving 1 cup of pasta water
Add the water and a drizzle of olive oil to the pasta, stir and set aside
Why reserve the pasta water?
As the pasta cooks it releases starch into the water which can then be used as a thickener for sauces. It also helps the sauce adhere back to the pasta so you don’t miss out on any flavor
Let’s get the sauce started
We will need 1 cup of a dry white wine (like a Pinot Grigio), 1/2 cup of chicken stock or clam broth, 4 grated garlic cloves 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper, 2 bay leaves and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan
Add in the crushed red pepper and bay leaf, let them cook a bit to release some aromatics and cook for 2 minutes taking care not to burn them
Next add in the garlic
Cook 2-3 minutes until the garlic starts to soften and become translucent
Deglaze the pan by adding in the white wine
What does deglazing mean?
Deglazing is a method used in cooking to help enrich sauces. As some food particles caramelize in the a hot pan and stick to the bottom, you pour in a flavorful liquid such as beer, wine or stock while scraping up these morsels which ultimately add loads of flavor to your sauce
Bring the wine to a boil then simmer 4-6 minutes to cook off the alcohol
Next add in the stock
Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 2-4 minutes
The next part of the sauce is going to come from the clams themselves
Nestle them into the pan and cover with a lid
Pay close attention to the clams as they will open at different times. Which is why I like to use this pan with the clear lid
Once they open immediately remove them as they are done and you don’t want them to over cook
Set them aside
As they cook and open they are going to release their own juices which is what brings the delicious briny clam flavor to the dish
Note: Any clams that do not open should be discarded as they have expired prior to cooking and may not be safe to eat
Now let’s finish that delicious sauce
At this point you can remove the bay leaves and discard them (they have done their job)
We will need 4 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of chopped sundried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley, and the zest of one lemon
I did mention some Simply Sunday’s flair didn’t I?
That’s where the sundried tomatoes and lemon zest come into play
Add all ingredients to the pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes to allow the flavors to meld
We haven’t used our kosher salt or black pepper yet and there is a reason. The clams were in salt water prior to meeting you. They will give off salt along with their juices.
Your okay to season the sauce with your black pepper, I just urge you to taste the sauce before adding in the salt. Then add only if needed
We shuck half the clams and leave the other half in their shells which makes for a great presentation
You can do what you want here
Add the shucked clams and drained pasta to the sauce and mix to coat
Cook for 2 minutes to allow the pasta to finish up and reheat
Nestle the clams that are still in there shells in the pasta and sprinkle with additional lemon zest, parsley and crushed red pepper
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Enjoy!!!
Simply Sundays! ~ Linguine & Clam Sauce
Ingredients
1 pound of linguine (cooked and drained reserving 1 cup of water)
2 dozen little neck clams (scrubbed well)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
4 grated garlic cloves
1 cup of dry white wine (Like a Pinot Grigio)
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper
4 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
zest of 1 lemon
Directions
Add the kosher salt to a pasta pot and fill with cold water. Bring to a rapid boil and add in the pasta. Cook the linguine a little less then the directions call for, as you will finish cooking them in the clam sauce later on. Drain reserving 1 cup of pasta water. Mix the pasta water in with the pasta along with a drizzle of olive oil. Mix and set aside
Scrub and rinse the clams thoroughly to remove any excess grit. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pan. Add in the crushed red pepper and bay leaf, let them cook a bit to release some aromatics and cook for 2 minutes taking care not to burn them
Deglaze the pan by adding in the white wine. Bring the wine to a boil then simmer 4-6 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Next add in the stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 2-4 minutes
Nestle the clams into the pan and cover with a lid. Pay close attention to the clams as they will open at different times. Which is why I like to use this pan with the clear lid. Once they open immediately remove them as they are done and you don’t want them to over cook. Set them aside. Note: Any clams that do not open should be discarded as they have expired prior to cooking and may not be safe to eat
Once the clams have been removed add to the pan 4 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of chopped sundried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley, and the zest of one lemon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Season with black pepper but taste before you add salt as the clam will have given off their own saltiness from the sea water they were in
Shuck half the clams and add to the sauce along with the drained pasta. Cook for 2 minutes to allow the pasta to finish up and reheat. Nestle the clams that are still in there shells in the pasta and sprinkle with additional lemon zest, parsley and crushed red pepper
Tools used to make this recipe
Architec Carving Board, Gripperwood
NuWave Flex Precision Induction Cooktop
Cook N Home, Stainless Steel 4-Piece 8 Quart Pasta Cooker Steamer Multipots
Cooks Standard Multi-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Tagine and Extra Glass Lid, 4.5-Quart
ZELITE INFINITY Chef Knife 8 inch
OXO 26781 Good Grips Lemon Zester with Channel Knife,1 EA
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This is always a favorite. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you like it! Thanks for the comment!
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Now there’s a scrumptious idea! 😋🌿