Clam sauce

Clam Sauce

Clam sauce is a popular Italian pasta sauce made with fresh clams, garlic, olive oil, and various herbs and spices. It is commonly served over linguine or spaghetti, and is a favorite among seafood lovers.

Ingredients

To make clam sauce, you will need the following ingredients:

• Fresh clams
• Garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• White wine
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the fresh clams. Scrub the shells under cold running water to remove any dirt or sand. Discard any clams with cracked or open shells. 2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. 3. Add the clams to the pot and pour in the white wine. Cover the pot and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the clams have opened. Discard any clams that do not open. 4. Remove the clams from the pot and set aside. Continue cooking the sauce over medium heat until it has reduced slightly. 5. Season the sauce with crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley. 6. Return the clams to the pot and toss them in the sauce to coat evenly. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to heat the clams through.

Serving

Clam sauce is traditionally served over linguine or spaghetti. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large serving bowl. Pour the clam sauce over the pasta and toss to combine. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.

Variations

There are several variations of clam sauce that you can try:

• Red clam sauce: Add tomato sauce or diced tomatoes to the sauce for a richer, tomato-based flavor.
• Creamy clam sauce: Stir in heavy cream or half-and-half to create a creamy texture.
• Spicy clam sauce: Increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes for a spicier kick.
• Clam sauce with linguine and clams: Instead of removing the clams from the shells, leave them intact and serve the sauce and clams over cooked linguine.

See Also

• Pasta
• Italian cuisine
• Seafood