Clams And Sausage In Spicy Marinara With Crostini Recipes

PASTA WITH CLAMS, WHITE WINE AND SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the clams in a large bowl and cover with cool tap water. Salt the water well and let the clams sit for 20 minutes to an hour to purge them of sand and grit. Drain and scrub the shells well under cold running water.
• Set a large roasting pan across two burners. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the chile, fennel and sausage, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the sausage.
• Once the sausage is nicely browned, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the clams and stir everything together until well combined. Arrange the tomatoes on top, add the thyme, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the clams pop open and the cherry tomatoes are roasted and juicy, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until al dente. When the clams are done, return the roasting pan to the stovetop over high heat. Simmer to reduce excess liquid and to open any clams that are still closed (stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon also helps).
• Taste sauce and season with salt as needed.
• Drain the pasta and transfer it directly into the roasting pan. Add the butter, lemon zest and juice, and the parsley. With tongs, toss everything together to coat the pasta in the sauce.
• Serve topped with plenty of grated pecorino if using.

STEAMED CLAMS WITH SPICY SAUSAGE AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausages; sauté until almost cooked through, breaking up with fork, about 10 minutes. Add shallots, garlic and dried red pepper. Sauté until sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes with juices, broth and vinegar. Add clams, cover and boil until clams open, about 8 minutes (discard any clams that do not open). Mix in basil.

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the clams and wine. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until most clams have opened.
• Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.
• Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse pasta with water - this will remove the pasta's natural starches. Place pasta into the clam saute pan and mix thoroughly. Check seasoning.
• Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Zest lemon over the dish, being carefull not to zest the white part of the lemon, which is bitter. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.