Clams Oregatana Basilico
Submitted by ivory
Italian baked clams on the half shell stuffed with herbed bread crumbs, garlic, Romano cheese, basil, oregano, and lemon juice, finished with a splash of white wine. A classic Italian-American appetizer.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minIf you’ve ever had baked clams at a red-sauce Italian joint and thought “I need this recipe," here it is.
Fresh clams get shucked, placed back on their half shells, and topped with a generous mound of garlicky bread crumb stuffing laced with basil, oregano, Romano cheese, Italian parsley, and fresh lemon juice.
A blast in a screaming hot oven crisps the tops golden, and a last-second splash of dry white wine adds a little steam and a whisper of acidity.
These disappear fast at any gathering. Plan accordingly.
Kitchen Tips
- Use fresh bread crumbs, not the dry canned kind. Tear day-old Italian bread and pulse it in a food processor.
- Mix the stuffing with your hands. It gives you the best feel for the moisture level. Add more olive oil if it seems dry.
- The oven needs to be at 500 degrees. This isn’t the time to preheat halfway. Let it get fully ripping hot before the clams go in.
- A few drops of wine per clam at the end is all you need. Don’t drown them.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 500 F.
Shuck clams and replace meat on half shells.
Pack about 1 heaping tablespoons stuffing on each.
Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle each clam with a few drops of wine.
Return to oven and bake 2 to 3 minutes more, or until lightly browned.
Stuffing: Combine all ingredients by mixing with hands.
Use more olive oil if the mixture seems too dry.
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