A favorite in my home…

Linguine With Clam Sauce

Linguine with clams- serves 4-6

¼ c. Olive oil
Sliced garlic- 3 cloves
Several shakes Red pepper flakes
½ T. Anchovy paste- comes in a tube
¼ c. chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup white wine
3 lbs. littleneck clams in the shells – very important!!!
2 T. butter
salt and pepper

1 lb. dry Linguine Pasta

Cook pasta to al dente (to the bite). Do not overcook. Drain pasta in colander, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot and add cooking liquid back in. Cover and set aside.

Heat up large frying pan on medium. Add olive oil. Then add garlic slivers. Add red pepper flakes and anchovy paste. For red clam sauce, you can at this point add ½ can imported Italian tomatoes that have been pureed. Clean clams in a strainer under warm (not hot) water, rubbing off all sand. Add clams to frying pan with the garlic. Add parsley and wine. Cook, turning sauce over onto the clams. Continue until clams open up releasing their juices. Finish off with butter and salt and pepper.

Throw pasta with reserved liquid into pan of clams and mix.