SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS image

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 12

Salt
1 pound dried spaghetti
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 1/2 pounds Manila clams, scrubbed clean
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

Steps:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together, about 8 minutes. Meanswhile, in a large saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. When almost smoking, add the shallots and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the garlic is golden brown and the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes (being careful not to burn the garlic). Add the clams, wine, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon each of sea salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until most of the clams have opened, about 6 minutes (discard any shellfish that do not open). Whisk in the butter to thicken the sauce slightly. Drain the spaghetti, reserving 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid. Do not rinse the spaghetti with water; you want to retain the natural starches that help the sauce adhere to the spaghetti. Toss the spaghetti with the clam mixture in the pan to coat. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the pasta. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.