Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Sometimes the simplest things in life are the best. Full of fresh simple flavours of the sea, nothing beats a seductive bowl of Linguine alle Vongole Bianco. The classic combination of clams and pasta is traditionally a Neapolitan dish but is also popular in the surrounding region of Campania, Rome, and throughout Italy, where this fragrant dish can be prepared two ways: rosso, with tomatoes and basil, or bianco, without. In this recipe, fresh Canadian savoury clams from British Columbia are steamed in a broth of olive oil, garlic, anchovies and white wine until they just open and release their briny liquid into the sauce. The linguine is cooked until just al dente — in salty water, of course — then tossed with the clams, broth, and a touch of dried oregano until it absorbs the sauce. Add a splash of olive oil, and a flurry of chopped parsley at the very end to make your pasta verdant and shiny. This recipe from Boston even adds some fresh grated parmesan cheese and a dollop of sour cream, which is absolutely non-traditional, but utterly delicious.

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Serves 4-6

Recipe courtesy of A Family Feast

1 lb dry linguine

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 large garlic cloves sliced thin

Pinch red pepper flakes

4 anchovy filets, roughly chopped

1 tsp dry oregano

3 lb cleaned shell-on BC savoury littleneck clams (about 2 1/2 dozen)

5 oz can whole baby clams with juice

3/4 cup white wine 

3 tbsp fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped fine and divided

2 tbsp sour cream (not traditional but adds an extra richness)

4 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided 

Place a large pot of water on to boil and once boiling, lightly salt with kosher salt. Once boiling add the linguine. While the linguine is cooking, heat the olive oil in a 12-14 inch skillet over medium high heat, and once hot, add the garlic and pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes or just before the garlic starts to brown. Add the anchovies and cook one minute. The anchovies will disintegrate into the oil.

Add the oregano and the shell on little neck clams along with the white wine.

Cover and cook over medium to medium high until the shells start to open, about five minutes. 

Have two bowls standing by. As soon as one shell opens, remove the lid, lift it out with tongs and over one bowl, remove the clam, again with tongs. Any liquid from the shell goes into this bowl as well. Place the shell in second bowl. Repeat as each shell opens. At some point, several will open at once so remove cover and just remove as many as you can handle at once. Save a handful of clams in their shells for garnish on each serving, discarding the empty shells.

Once the pasta has reached a point where it is almost done but still a little chewy, using tongs, remove the pasta from the water and place into the pan in which the clams were cooked. As the pasta cooks, add half the chopped parsley, the canned clams and juice, half the cheese and a dollop of sour cream.  Finally finish by pouring in the bowl with the clams and juice. Give it one last stir and pour everything into a serving bowl. Drizzle some extra olive oil over the top if you wish, and sprinkle with the remaining parsley and cheese.