Linguine With Clams And Pancetta Recipes

LINGUINE WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• In large pot over high heat, bring 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to a boil. Add the linguine and cook according to the package directions until just shy of al dente (the pasta should still be firm to the bite since it will cook another minute or two in the sauce).
• Meanwhile, in a very large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, red pepper flakes, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, clams, and ¼ cup of the parsley; bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the clams open, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.
• Reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, drain the linguine in a colander (do not rinse). Add the pasta to the sauté pan with the clams. (If you don't have room for everything in one pan, transfer the clams to a plate and cover to keep warm. When ready to serve, add them back to the pasta on a serving platter). Increase the heat to medium and cook the linguini with the clams, tossing occasionally, until the pasta absorbs most of the sauce and is just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. If necessary, add some of reserved cooking water to keep moist. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley; toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, lemon zest and/or lemon juice, if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish or bowls and serve.
• Note: When cooking with wine, select a bottle that is inexpensive (under $10) but still good enough to drink. Avoid "cooking wines," which are salty and include additives.

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the clams and wine. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until most clams have opened.
• Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.
• Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse pasta with water - this will remove the pasta's natural starches. Place pasta into the clam saute pan and mix thoroughly. Check seasoning.
• Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Zest lemon over the dish, being carefull not to zest the white part of the lemon, which is bitter. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

LINGUINE WITH GARLIC OIL AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. While it's heating up, put the garlic olive oil in an ovenproof dish; I use an enamel Le Creuset one, measuring 12 by 8-inches. Remove the rind from pancetta and put it in the dish (to render down: you want as much bacony juices as possible), then dice the rest of the pancetta and add these cubes to the oil, smooshing them about with your fingers to make sure they're equally, if lightly, coated. When the water's boiling, put the dish of garlic-oiled pancetta in the oven, then salt the boiling water and add the linguine; these should need about 10 minutes to cook. When the pasta's ready, drain it, reserving a scant cupful of the cooking water and take the pancetta dish out of the oven. Tip the drained linguine into the dish and toss well, adding some of the pasta, cooking water, drop by cautious drop, for lubrication as you need it.
• And that's it: I like this without Parmesan, but a sprinkling of roughly scissored parsley, should you feel inclined, is always a good idea.

LINGUINE WITH PANCETTA, OLIVE OIL, CHILE, CLAMS AND WHITE WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook your linguine in salted boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile, get a pan hot and add a couple of good lugs (tablespoons) of olive oil and the pancetta. Fry until golden, then add the garlic and chilies. Soften them slightly and add the clams. Stir, then add the white wine. Put a lid on the pan and cook for a further couple of minutes until all the clams have opened--discard any that remain closed. Remove from the heat and add the drained linguine. Stir in the parsley, correct the seasoning and serve with all the cooking juices.;

LINGUINE AND CLAMS WITH FRESH RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions until 3 minutes shy of al dente. (It will finish cooking in the sauce; pasta should be toothsome but not crunchy.) Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, once pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and start to pop, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add reserved clam juice (you should have about 1 cup) and stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add sauce, pasta, 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the butter back to the large pot, and cook, stirring vigorously, until sauce is thickened and pasta is al dente, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup more pasta water if a thinner sauce is desired.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the clams, cheese and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide pasta among bowls and garnish with cheese, parsley, black pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using.

LINGUINE WITH SMOKED BACON, LEEKS AND CLAMS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, scrub the clams under cold running water with a stiff-bristled brush, then refrigerate.
• Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the bacon and saute until the fat has rendered and the bacon starts to brown. Add the garlic and leeks and saute until the leeks have softened and released most of their liquid. Increase heat to high and add the wine, black pepper, cayenne and tomatoes; boil until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook until just before it is al dente. Meanwhile, add the clams and, if desired, the lemon juice to the saute pan. Cover and cook until the clams open completely, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
• Drain the linguine and add to the pan with the clams; it will continue to cook when added to the mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and pine nuts.