White clam sauce has to be one of my very favorite pastas! When you typically think of pasta you think heavy…not this pasta, this is like a primavera, its flavor is big, but the weight is much less than your standard pasta and meatballs with red sauce. (in this Chefs opinion)
Its pretty simple to throw together for a weeknight meal, but I do like this one for a weekend and preferably to share family style with family and friends and a good sauvignon blanc. Its crispness and light effovessence will tickle your taste buds and lets the delicate flavors and parsley become flavors you crave.
To make this dish you will need to visit your favorite fish monger and ask for a pint of fresh clams. Here in Pittsburgh our place is in the Historical Strip District at Penn Avenue Fish Company.
Here’s what you need
Tools:
Pot for boiling pasta
Saute pan
Tongs
Knife
Ingredients:
Pasta 1#
Salt for your pasta water
3T. Olive Oil for sautéing and 3 more for your pasta water
1c. Savingnon blanc or pinot grigio for cooking
2c. Chicken broth
2 Fresh lemon juiced
4 cloves fresh garlic food processed or minced, you can rough chop if you like larger pieces of garlic
1 medium shallot sliced thin
1 pint clams in liquid
1/4c. chopped fresh parsley
fresh grated Pecoino
Method:
Start with boiling your water and adding salt and olive oil. You want to time your pasta and your sauce to be done approx the same time. Now that you have started your water over medium to higher heat its time to begin the sauce.
Place your saute pan over high heat to begin and add your olive oil. approx 2 minutes should be enough for the oil to heat up. Check your oil by adding just a drop of water to it. if it sizzles and splatters then its ready. If not wait until this happens. you want hot oil to start with. Add in your garlic and shallot. saute for 2 minutes then add your wine and chicken broth. If you are not at a high heat now is the time to turn up your burner to reduce your liquid by 1/4. It should take about 6 to 8 minutes to do this.
Once your sauce has reduced add in the lemon juice and clams with the liquid. turn back up to high heat and let this cook and reduce the new liquids by 1/4 again. you’ll see you have a good amount of (broth) sauce building. The noodles, once incorporated, will absorb a lot.
Your pasta should be almost done and drained by now. once drained do not rinse. add pasta to your saute pan and stir all together. Add in the parsley and pecorino cheese too and toss.
You are ready to plate up. or serve family style with tongs and a ladle for extra juice. I love fresh ground pepper too!
Pasta is why I ~
Liv to Eat
Sarah