CLAM PASTA WITH BASIL AND HOT PEPPER

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Clam Pasta With Basil and Hot Pepper image

The beauty of this dish is that the clams can be steamed in the time it takes to cook the pasta, so the whole affair can be put together quite rapidly. High heat and a covered pot will have the shells open in minutes.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     dinner, easy, quick, weekday, pastas, main course

Time 30m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 cup basil leaves
1 cup Italian parsley leaves
3 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound bucatini, spaghetti or linguine
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed, optional
1/2 teaspoon peperoncino (hot red-pepper flakes)
4 pounds small clams, such as little neck or Manila, rinsed of sand
1/2 cup dry white wine
Basil leaves, for garnish
Lemon wedges

Steps:

  • Make the purée: Grind basil and parsley together in a food processor. (Alternatively, hand chop herbs or pound them in a mortar.) Add garlic paste and 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rapid boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions, taking care to keep pasta quite al dente. It's best to use a timer, and drain pasta as soon as it's done.
  • While pasta is cooking, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed wide pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, fennel seed if using and pepperoncino, and let sizzle without browning, about 1 minute. Add clams, stirring to coat with a wooden spoon. Raise heat to high, add wine and put on the lid. Cook, covered, until all clams have opened, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off heat. (Discard any clams that fail to open.)
  • Add cooked pasta and basil purée to pot and toss gently to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with basil leaves and lemon wedges.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 707, UnsaturatedFat 15 grams, Carbohydrate 70 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 55 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 1830 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams

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