This Thursday March 31 is National Clam Day!
One of my favorite Italian-inspired dishes to make is vongole. Vongole is the Italian name for clams, as well as a delicious classic pasta dish.
In Italy, you will find vongole prepared two ways. One traditional preparation is to cook the clams in a garlicky white wine sauce. Another version calls for the clams to be cooked in a red tomato sauce. Both are delicious … but I find the red clam sauce version most easy to make at home.
Italians often use live small clams in the shell when making this dish. I love the flavor of fresh clams, but they are difficult to find at my local market. As a substitute, I use easy-to-find canned clams instead. Cans of minced baby clams are found in your grocery store in the same section as canned tuna fish.
For added flavor, I often grab a can of white clam sauce instead of the plain minced clams. Look for this canned sauce in the pasta sauce section of the grocery store. The spices in the pre-prepared sauce add a kick to this simple sauce.
Easy to prepare, this sauce is great for a quick weeknight meal since it comes together in just about 30 minutes. It is also a unique dish that is perfect for a dinner party. The ingredients are simply garlic, parsley, crushed tomatoes, and … of course … clams!
As an added bonus, this red clam sauce freezes well. Consider making a double batch so you can freeze the extra for another night.
Everyone should have a unique pasta sauce in his or her repertoire and I hope my simple recipe becomes your go-to. Visit wknofm.org for the recipe.
This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish! Bon Appetit!
Linguine Vongole
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes with juice
- 1 can (10 1/2-ounce) white clam sauce or 1 can (7 1/2-ounce) minced baby clams
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 box (1 pound/16-ounce) linguine, cooked per the package directions and kept warm
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the oil until a few droplets of water sizzle when carefully sprinkled in the pan. Add the garlic and parsley and sauté until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, white clam sauce, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.
Pour the sauce over the warm spaghetti and toss. Serve hot.
Serves 6 to 8.
Recipe reprinted with permission from Simply Suppers by Jennifer Chandler.
