Linguine with White Clam Sauce

This is a popular dish, found almost everywhere in Italy. Naturally, it’s especially good along the coastal areas. It is a classic dish, simple to prepare as long as your clams are fresh, your broth flavorful and you have enough broth to toss and coat the pasta.

Makes 4 servings

1 lb. thin linguine
4 to 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 dozen Manila clams (or the smallest clams you can find)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup fish broth or clam juice *
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, stems removed and chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

* To thicken the broth you can make a paste of 1 tablespoon flour and 2 to tablespoons fish broth and slowly add it to the broth in the sauté pan. Add a bit more broth if the sauce becomes too thick.

Fill a large pot with 4 to 5 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and the pasta and cook until al’dente or until the pasta is cooked but still firm. Drain and set aside.

In the meantime, put the olive oil, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic in a medium sauté pan over high heat for about 30 seconds, or just until the garlic begins to brown. Sauté the clams in the hot oil for 1 minute. Add the wine and reduce for 1 minute, then the fish broth or clam juice and reduce for another 1 to 2 minutes, until all the clams have opened and the liquid has thickened. Add the oregano and parsley.

Place the pasta in a large serving platter, toss with some of the liquid part of the sauce. Add the clams and the remaining sauce on top and serve immediately.