Linguine with Red Clam Sauce
Servings 4
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
- Immersion Blender
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 4 oz of pancetta chopped
- 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 4 large cloves of garlic minced
- 1 28-oz can of whole or crushed tomatoes
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 6 fresh basil leaves chopped (divided)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped (divided)
- 10 oz linguine cooked per instructions
- 1 lb fresh clams cleaned
Instructions
- Cook the pancetta in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Remove from the Dutch oven to a paper towel.
- Add butter or olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the seasonings and minced garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes or the juice from the whole tomatoes. Place the immersion blender into the can and crush the whole tomatoes before adding them to the Dutch oven.
- Add half the basil and parsley, then stir. Taste and re-season if needed. Let the sauce simmer covered for 30 minutes. Side Note: If you like a sweeter sauce, add a pinch of white sugar to taste.
- Go through your fresh clams; if any of them are open, tap them lightly on the counter, and if they don't close shut, the clams are dead–DON'T EAT THEM.
- Scrub the clams lightly in cold water. Refrigerate the clams until right before cooking them.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water, according to the package instructions.
- Meanwhile, add the fresh clams to the sauce by the handful and simmer for 4-6 minutes. Side Note: Don't dump the bowl of clams into the sauce, as there could be sand on the bottom of the bowl.
- Discard any clams that did not open while cooking.
- Toss the cooked linguine with the sauce and clams until evenly coated.
- Top with the remaining basil and parsley and serve. Enjoy.