Linguine and White Wine Clam Sauce

We were in high school when my pal Paula cooked this dish for me in her mom’s Italian kitchen. She added fresh Long Island clams we’d purchased earlier from a fishmonger, and a ton of flat leaf parsley. The briny shellfish combines with the fragrant herbs and garlic in a richly flavored stock with just enough heat to send it over the top.

Over the years, we’ve substituted canned whole baby clams, a staple in my pantry along with the clam juice, making it a go-to recipe for an easy and super satisfying anytime meal. If you want to go all out with ocean-to-table clams, I recommend Whole Foods, which sources its mollusks from Willis Wharf, a coastal hamlet in Virginia.

A feast for the senses, present linguine and clam sauce with a crisp chardonnay at a candle lit, white cloth table and you may feel like you’re dining out at a cozy continental eatery.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

4 cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried basil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 can whole baby clams, drain and set aside juice

1/2 bottle clam juice

Louisiana style hot pepper sauce

white wine

1 tablespoon pecorino romano cheese

8 ounces linguine

10 sprigs of Italian parsley, chopped

Serves 2

Preparation

Coat the bottom of a medium sauce pan with EVOO, crush the oregano and basil in your hands to release their flavor, and add to the pot with the red pepper flakes and the garlic. Warm over medium low heat taking care not to let the garlic brown. Remove from heat. Add the clam juice to the pot with the pepper sauce, a splash of white wine, pecorino romano, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Return to medium low heat, cover and bring to a simmer, cooking gently to marry all the flavors, around 15 minutes.

Bring a stock pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to packet directions. Add the clams and the parsley to the sauce and heat gently while the pasta cooks. Drain and plate the pasta and ladle a generous portion of the sauce over it. Add another shake or two of hot sauce as desired for extra heat.

Experts agree that a crusty loaf of Italian bread is necessary but not required—for soaking up the intensely flavored broth!