Pasta Paella With Clams Recipes

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.

PASTA PAELLA WITH CLAMS AND SPICY SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Cut zucchini and tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and keep vegetables separate. Chop onion and mince garlic.
• In a heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté uncooked pasta, turning occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer pasta to a bowl. In oil remaining in kettle sauté zucchini with salt to taste, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes, and transfer to another bowl. Squeeze sausage from casings into kettle and add onion and garlic. Sauté mixture, stirring and breaking up sausage, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, water, and wine and bring to a boil. Add pasta and clams and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes, or until clams are opened and pasta is al dente. (Discard any unopened clams.) Stir in zucchini and parsley and cook until heated through.

PASTA PAELLA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Break pasta into 3-4 lengths and drop into oil. Stir often until golden (6-8 minutes).
• Add onion, garlic and turmeric. Stir until onion is soft (3-4 minutes).
• Stir in broth and tomatoes, including the juice and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Spread the mixture evenly over the skillet and cover evenly with the artichokes hearts and clams.
• Cover, reduce to medium heat and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add shrimp, fish, and peas evenly over pasta. Cover and cook until clams have opened and fish is opaque at the center (5-8 minutes longer).
• Uncover and cook until pasta has absorbed most of the liquid and is beginning to brown on the bottom (2-4 minutes). Add salt to taste.
• Garnish with lemon wedges.

GARLICKY CLAM PAELLA

Steps:

• Place large clams in a skillet with 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook, removing clams as they open. Swish clams in the broth to remove any sand, then shake dry and chop coarsely. Set aside.
• Pour liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or one layer of a two-ply paper towel. Measure out 2 and 3/4 cups and set aside. Reserve additional broth for another use.
• Set aside 2 tablespoons parsley. In a mortar or mini processor, mash to a paste the remaining parsley, garlic, saffron and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
• When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 for gas, 450 for electric. Warm broth over a low flame. Have pre-measured and ready to go onion, leeks, pepper, bay leaf, chile pepper, chopped clams, bay leaf, chile pepper, paprika, rice and Manila clams. Combine mortar mixture (parsley, garlic, saffron, salt) with wine and lemon juice.
• Heat the oil in a paella pan measuring about 13 inches (or in a shallow casserole of a similar size) and slowly saute the onion, leeks, pepper, bay leaf and chile pepper until the vegetables are softened.
• Add the chopped clams and saute 5 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf and chile pepper and stir in the paprika. Add the rice and coat well with the pan mixture. Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, taste for salt, add the mortar-wine-lemon juice mixture and Manila clams and boil, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the rice is no longer soupy but sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice.
• Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered, 10 to 12 minutes in a gas oven, or 15 to 20 minutes in an electric oven, until the rice is almost al dente.
• Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil and let sit 5 to 10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste.
• To a achieve a crusty bottom, return the paella to the stove over high heat and cook, without stirring, until a crust of rice forms at the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to let it burn. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.