BAKED CLAMS OREGANATA

Baked Clams Oreganata image

Yield Makes 24 baked clams, serving 12

Number Of Ingredients 8

For crumb topping
3/4 cup coarse dry bread crumbs (preferably from a crusty loaf of Italian bread)
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons minced drained bottled roasted peppers
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves or 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
24 small hard-shelled clams such as littlenecks, shucked, reserving 24 half shells
sea or coarse salt for filling baking pan and serving platter

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Make topping:
In a small bowl stir together topping ingredients until combined well and season with salt and pepper.
Scrub reserved clam shells inside and out and dry. In a shallow baking pan spread coarse salt about 1/4 inch deep and nestle shells in salt to keep them level. Return shucked clams to shells and cover generously with topping. Clams may be prepared up to this point 1 hour ahead and chilled.
Bake clams in middle of oven 10 minutes. Serve clams nestled in coarse salt on a platter.