Using clam juice instead of chicken stock enhances the sauce's flavor.
An unusual part of making white clam sauce is related to how it's introduced to the pasta. (The sauce is usually served over linguine.) Instead of pouring the sauce on top of the pasta, the linguine is saut ed in the pan for several minutes with the sauce. For this recipe, clam juice is substituted for chicken stock to create a stronger clam flavor; chicken stock is used by those who prefer a buttery taste. Serve the pasta with thick garlic bread so you can mop up any remaining sauce.
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients
1. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
2. Add 1 lb. of linguini and boil it for 6 or 7 minutes. (The pasta will be slightly undercooked since it will be added to the sauce later.)
3. Drain the linguini in a colander and set it aside.
4. Peel and chop six cloves of garlic into fine pieces on a cutting board with a sharp knife.
5. Grate the entire peel of one medium-size lemon with a lemon zester. (The zester is a tool that grates the lemon's peel into long, thin strips. Be sure not to include any of the white part of the peel, which is called the pith.)
6. Open one 15-oz. can of whole baby clams.
7. Press the lid of the can against the top of the clams, tilt it over the sink, and drain the juice from the can.
Prepare the White Clam Sauce
8. Set a deep, wide skillet on a burner and turn the heat to medium. Warm the skillet for a few minutes.
9. Pour ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil into the skillet. Lift the pan and turn it in a clockwise motion so the oil coats the bottom of it.
10. Add the garlic, seven anchovy fillets and 1 tsp. of red pepper flakes to the oil. Stir them with a wooden spoon and let cook until the fish melts.
11. Place 1 cup of dry white wine and 2 tbsp. of fresh thyme in the skillet and stir.
12. Let the wine reduce for 60 seconds.
13. Stir 1 cup of clam juice, the whole clams and the lemon zest into the skillet.
14. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss with wooden forks for 3 minutes so the pasta absorbs some of the sauce.
15. Add ¼ cup chopped parsley leaves, along with coarse salt and black pepper to your taste.
Tags: chicken stock, , Clam Sauce, into skillet, minutes pasta, , White Clam Sauce