Pasta with Red Clam Sauce

Fresh littleneck clams steamed open in white wine and fish stock, spooned over linguine with a light tomato sauce fragrant with fresh basil and Italian parsley. This is Italian seafood pasta done right.

The sauce stays light on purpose. A single fresh tomato plus a hit of tomato paste gives you color and sweetness without burying the briny clam flavor under a heavy red sauce. This isn’t marinara with clams thrown in; the clams are the star.

Sizzling the garlic in olive oil until it just starts to pop builds the aromatic foundation fast. Add the stock and wine right when it sizzles so the garlic flavors the liquid without burning.

Steaming the clams covered for 3 to 5 minutes is all they need. The moment the shells pop open, pull them out. Overcooked clams turn from tender to chewy rubber in seconds, and there’s no going back.

Chef Tips

• Scrub and soak the clams in cold salted water for 20 minutes before cooking to purge any sand. Nothing ruins a beautiful dish like grit in the sauce.
• Discard any clams that don’t close when tapped before cooking, and any that don’t open after steaming. Both are signs they’re not safe to eat.
• Use the best dry white wine you have on hand. If you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it. Pinot grigio or Sauvignon Blanc work well.
• Spoon the broth generously over the pasta. The sauce is thin by design and soaks into the noodles beautifully.

Variations

• Spicy red clam sauce: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you saute the garlic for a subtle heat that complements the briny clams.
• Mixed seafood: Toss in a handful of mussels alongside the clams for a more dramatic shellfish presentation.