LINGUINE WITH GRILLED CLAMS AND BACON

Linguine with Grilled Clams and Bacon image

Provided by Chris Schlesinger

Yield Makes 4 (main course) servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

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1/2 pound sliced bacon, chopped
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons hot red-pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
32 small (less than 2 inches wide) hard-shelled clams, scrubbed
3/4 pound linguine
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Equipment: a 13-by 9- by 2-inch disposable foil pan

Steps:

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (high heat for gas), leaving about one third of grill free of coals (or, for a gas grill, shutting off one or two burners); see Grilling Procedure .
Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
Stir together oil, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and lemon juice in foil pan and put on grill over area with no coals.
Grill clams on grill rack over coals, turning with tongs, until they open, 3 to 7 minutes, transferring as opened to foil pan and being careful not to spill their juices. (Discard any clams that remain unopened after 7 minutes.)
Cook linguine in a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.
Toss pasta with bacon, parsley, contents of foil pan, and salt and pepper to taste.