Until I made this, I assumed it would be difficult or that I’d have to use fresh clams, which can be difficult to find in some areas and expensive. This recipe uses canned clams and is so super easy, and delicious. And don’t let the anchovies scare you. They literally melt into the sauce, adding flavor. If you don’t tell the family there are anchovies in this, they’ll never guess! Depending on what store you shop at, the can sizes of baby clams can differ. Wal-Mart had baby canned clams for $1.78 for a 10 ounce can and Safeway had them on sale for $1.49 for a 6.5 ounce can. The recipe calls for 15 ounces of baby clams so you can vary it a bit, anywhere from 10 ounces to 20…Get out of the spaghetti and meatball rut and experiment with this fabulous pasta dish! A loaf of crusty bread goes well with this, so you can soak up all the juice.
LINGUINE WITH CLAMS –
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Serves: 4 for approx. $7.08
Ingredients:
- 1 pound linguine
- salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 anchovy flat fillets, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (you can add a bit more if you like it hotter)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 15 ounce can baby clams and juice
- flat leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and linguine and cook for about 7 minutes. You want a “chewy” al dente since it will continue to cook later.
Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add oil, anchovies, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook until anchovies melt and break up. Add wine and give the pan a good shake. Add clams and juice. Drain pasta and add to clam sauce. Toss until the pasta is coated with sauce and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and add parsley.