Pasta with Clam Sauce is an enticing alternative to a tomato-based sauce dish ! It’s light, yet flavorful. The butter and wine sauce combined with garlic, herbs and clams creates a sauce which lightly coats your pasta. Minimal time is required to create what could become a family favorite in your meal rotation. Little prep work is required for this dish. Physical effort is only required to open the cans of clams and grate the cheese. Speaking of cheese,……
Did you know that Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is really Parmesan cheese? Its origin is in the north-central region of Italy in the towns of Parma and Reggio. This region, along with three other neighboring provinces, formed a consortium to preserve its high standards and production zones. As of 1996, it is certified as a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) product. To clarify, this is designed to label European products made by traditional methods and in a strictly designated area. There is a picture below of that label which was found on the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese I bought for this recipe. Known as “the king of cheeses”, it contains 3 ingredients: superb milk, sea salt and natural rennet(enzymes). No additives or preservatives are used to make this cheese according to the history link on parmesan.com . There’s an abundance of information regarding this cheese including, but not limited to, Thomas Jefferson’s role in bringing it to America. I love researching history of food. Now let’s move on to the process.
Saute the garlic with the minced clams, including their juice, in the melted butter over medium-low heat. Increase heat to medium and add the crushed red pepper flakes, lemon juice, oregano, basil, black pepper along with the white wine. At this point, begin to cook the pasta. Allow the sauce to reduce by about a fourth, which could take about 10 minutes, over medium heat.
Using a pasta fork, gradually remove the pasta from its pot, allowing excess water to drip off, and place it into the skillet with the clam sauce. From the pasta pot, scoop up about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and add that into the skillet as well. Over medium low heat, continue to stir pasta to coat it with the clam sauce. As it cooks, you will notice the sauce’s texture changing to one that is more creamy than liquidy. At this point, it is finished. Serve it up and garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or Parmesan.
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Cook time:
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Serves: 6 servings
- 1 pound of fresh(preferred) fettuccini -any dry pasta can be substituted
- ½ c. butter
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed
- 2-6.5 oz. cans minced clams
- ¼ t. crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1 lemon
- 2 T. oregano leaves, finely chopped or 2 t. dried oregano
- 2 T. basil, finely chopped or 2 t. or dried basil
- ½ t. freshly ground black pepper
- ⅔ c. white wine, chardonnay or similar type
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Over medium-low heat, melt butter.
- Sauté garlic with minced clams, including juice.
- Increase heat to medium and add red pepper flakes, lemon juice, oregano, basil, black pepper and white wine.
- Cook until mixture is reduced by about a quarter. This should take about 10 minutes. (This should be a good time to start cooking pasta.)
- Remove pasta directly from its pot to the skillet using a pasta fork, allowing excess water to drip off first.
- Remove ½ cup of the pasta water from the pot to the skillet with the sauce and pasta
- Toss pasta with sauce and pasta water in skillet to coat. Over medium-low heat, stir until sauce's texture changes from watery to creamy.
- Serve garnished with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese.
- Enjoy!
