Connies Clam Pasta Recipes

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.

CANNED CLAM PASTA

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the cooking water.
• Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Cook shallots and garlic just until translucent and soft for 1-2 minutes. Keep stirring and careful not to burn the garlic.
• Add clam juice, chicken broth, and white wine. Cook until the sauce on medium-high heat until the sauce is reduced, enough to fully submerge the cooked pasta. Season with salt, black pepper, or chili pepper flakes if needed.
• Add butter, basil, clam meat, pasta, and pasta water to the skillet. Stir just until the clam is warm throughout. Turn off the heat immediately so you don't overcook the clam meat. Serve with chopped parsley.

SPAGHETTI WITH CANNED CLAMS

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, granulated garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toast the breadcrumbs, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
• Fill a large pot with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and season generously with salt. Add the spaghetti and cook to al dente, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large saute pan or skillet, add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil along with the garlic and red pepper flakes. Turn the heat on low and let cook until fragrant, for a few minutes. Stir in the wine and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the clams, then turn up the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Use tongs to take the pasta out of the water directly into the pan (this works best when the pasta is a couple minutes away from being done; you want it really al dente so it finishes cooking in the sauce). Use tongs to toss. If dry, add a little pasta water. Add the parsley. Toss until coated in the sauce and the pasta is tender. Serve with the toasted breadcrumbs sprinkled on top.

CREAMY CAMPFIRE CLAM PASTA WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Mix together the parsley, red pepper flakes, garlic, butter, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Transfer to a small plastic storage container with a lid and freeze until ready to use. (Pack the frozen butter in your cooler, it will help cool your food.)
• Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until golden and toasted, about 4 minutes. Can be made a day ahead, pack in a small plastic re-sealable bag.
• (Make sure to pack all of the other ingredients and equipment.)
• Build a medium-high campfire that has a grate for cooking.
• When ready to cook, combine the tomatoes, clams and 1 1/2 cups water in a large saucepan, on the grate, directly over the fire and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling sauce and stir to coat. Bring back to a boil for 30 seconds then remove from the heat and cover with a lid, let sit for 3 minutes. Uncover and stir in the butter (which will have thawed in the cooler) and the juice of the zested lemon.
• Divide among 4 bowls and top with breadcrumbs.

CLAM LINGUINE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine olive oil, butter, garlic, tomatoes and parsley; simmer and let reduce. Add some clam juice if the sauce reduces too much.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 3 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Add clams to the skillet and heat through; top with cheese and serve immediately.

LINGUINE AND CLAMS WITH FRESH RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions until 3 minutes shy of al dente. (It will finish cooking in the sauce; pasta should be toothsome but not crunchy.) Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, once pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and start to pop, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add reserved clam juice (you should have about 1 cup) and stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add sauce, pasta, 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the butter back to the large pot, and cook, stirring vigorously, until sauce is thickened and pasta is al dente, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup more pasta water if a thinner sauce is desired.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the clams, cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide pasta among bowls and garnish with cheese, parsley, black pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using.

PASTA WITH CLAMS MERIDIONALE

Steps:

• Shuck the clams and reserve the clams and the juice. There should be about one cup of clams and one and one-half cups of juice.
• Put the clams on a flat surface and chop them finely.
• Bring the water to the boil, and add one-half cup of the clam juice and salt.
• Add the spaghetti to the kettle and let it boil as the sauce is prepared. Cook the spaghetti to the desired state of doneness. We prefer it al dente.
• Add the oil to a small skillet and heat it. Add the remaining clam juice to another skillet or casserole large enough to toss the spaghetti in sauce once it is added. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the clam juice. Add the cream and stir. Let heat slowly as you prepare the sauce.
• Add the clams, garlic and parsley to the oil and heat for about 30 seconds or until thoroughly hot. Do not cook. Pour and scrape this over the spaghetti and add the butter. Toss. Add the Pernod or Ricard and serve immediately.

CONNIE'S CALABRIAN PASTA SAUCE

Steps:

• Using a food processor, process tomatoes until mostly smooth. A few small chunks are OK.
• Crush the garlic using a garlic press, or finely chop.
• Clean the fennel well, then slice into 1/4" slices and dry the pieces with a paper towel.
• Add the oil to a large, heavy stock pot.
• When shimmering, add the fennel and saute until it's starting to lightly brown.
• Add the garlic and stir just until it's fragrant.
• Immediately add the processed tomatoes.
• Add the tomato paste, basil, and spices.
• Cook for an hour, uncovered, with the sauce just barely simmering, and stirring occasionally.
• Taste the sauce. If it is a bit acidic/tart, add 1 T of sugar at a time stirring well and tasting it after each addition. Add no more than 1/4 cup at this time.
• Continue simmering,. If you like a "fresh" sauce with some tomato lumps, you can use it as quickly as 1 hour. If you like a smooth sauce, as she makes hers, continue to cook.
• After another hour, taste it again. If it's still too acidic/tart for your taste, add more sugar, 1 T at a time, tasting after each addition.
• When done, freeze or can the sauce for later consumption. If you can it, make sure you follow safe canning procedures and make sure the pH is safe.

CONNIE'S CLAM PASTA

Steps:

• Saute onions in oil, add the rest of ingredients, reduce sauce by slow simmer. Add clams just before serving.