Scott Conant dislikes the taste of wine used in most recipes for linguine with clam sauce, which is why he takes a minimalist approach to the dish in his recent cookbook, "Bold Italian" (Broadway Books, 2008). Calling for little more than pasta and clams, this recipe has a clean, briny flavor that lets the star ingredient shine.
Spaghetti with Clams
Start to finish: 25 minutes
- 1 3/4 pounds Manila or littleneck clams (about 28)
- 1/2 pound dry spaghetti
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Large pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt, to taste
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
While the water heats, fill a large bowl with cool water, then add the clams. Use your hands to stir the clams and allow any sand to settle to the bottom. Transfer the clams to another bowl and set aside.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until about three-quarters done; you should still see some white at the center of the spaghetti if you bite it. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet heat 1⁄4 cup of olive oil over medium. Add the garlic, then remove the skillet from the heat. Add the red pepper flakes, then swirl the garlic around the pan to prevent it from overcooking.
Add 3⁄4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Return the skillet to the burner over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a boil for about 1 minute. Add the pasta and clams, cover and cook until the clams open and the pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes. Add more water only if the pasta gets too dry.
Add the parsley and toss with the pasta. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and season with salt.
Makes 2 to 3 servings.
