Linguini with Clam Sauce
You can make this classic Italian dish in your home and it will be the best you've ever had!
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 dozen littleneck clams
1 cup champagne or white wine
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper
1 pound linguini
Prepare the clams by cleaning them thoroughly. Soak in water for 30 minutes, then brush the clams with a stiff nylon brush. Drain, rinse, and place them in a saucepan with ½ cup champagne. Cover tightly with a lid and cook over high heat until the clams open. Remove the lid and let them cool slightly. Carefully take the clams out of their shells, discarding the shells, and place the clams in a covered bowl. Strain the clam juice through a cheesecloth-lined strainer to remove sand and reserve.
Meanwhile, bring water to a boil for the pasta, adding enough salt so the water tastes like the sea. Begin cooking the linguini.
In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it just begins to brown. Add the chopped tomato and the remaining ½ cup of champagne. Pour in the reserved clam juice and the heavy cream, bringing the mixture to a boil.
When the pasta is very al dente (slightly undercooked), transfer it to the sauté pan. The sauce will be soupy at this point but will thicken as the pasta finishes cooking. If it becomes too dry before the pasta is fully cooked, add some of the pasta water.
Stir in the butter and chopped parsley, then season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the reserved clams. Serve hot.