HARDSHELL CLAMS WITH GARLIC

Hardshell Clams with Garlic image

Yield makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 pounds tiny hard shell clams or cockles
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
Salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Lemon wedges for serving

Steps:

Put half the olive oil in a large, deep skillet and turn the heat to high. Add the clams and cook, shaking the skillet or stirring the clams occasionally, until the first few of them open, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and, if you're using them, the hot pepper flakes, and cover for a minute. Uncover, then continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the clams are open, another 5 to 10 minutes. (Any that are not open at this point may be opened at the table with an ordinary butter knife or your fingers.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, garnish with the parsley, and serve with the lemon wedges.
Pasta with White Clam Sauce
In step 1, set a large pot of water to boil and add salt. While the clams are cooking, cook 1 pound pasta, preferably linguine, until it still has quite a bit of crunch (you must taste frequently once it begins to soften). When the clams are almost done, turn off the heat and cover the skillet. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the clams and cook, stirring, until the pasta is tender, adding the reserved cooking liquid if the mixture seems dry. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve, omitting the lemon.
Pasta with Red Clam Sauce
Follow the preceding variation, but just before adding the pasta to the clams, add about 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or canned tomatoes (you can peel and seed them first if you have the time and energy).