Serves 4
Making fresh pasta is a ritual in our family now and my husband deserves all the credit for it. He loves it, he is passionate about it, he is very technical about it and the end result is always perfection. If I mention that I am going to use some dry pasta for a certain dish, he is already setting his pasta machine and goes into action, as fresh pasta is always more rewarding than the commercial one. It could take him 40 minutes for fresh pasta that we use for our chicken soups or for this delightful linguine dish or it could take him several hours if we are making ravioli. And when I say we, it is the royal we: he does most of the job and I am just the humble apprentice that follows his direction and helps, as needed. I consider myself lucky to have this special apprentice role while he is in the spot light, having the lead role. This seafood pasta dish is not only beautiful but also very delicious and quick to put together for a hungry audience.
1 kg (45-50) clams, scrubbed
400 g linguine, fresh or dry
4 tbsp olive oil
50 g butter, unsalted
2 large shallots, finely chopped
½ red pepper, fresh and diced
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
Chili flakes (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, for serving
Scrub clams with a small brush to remove any grit, discarding any open or cracked clams. Soak clams in cold water for 1 hour. Rinse well, drain and set aside.
If using dry linguine, cook pasta in salted boiling water until tender. Drain (reserving some of the cooking water) and keep warm while you cook clams.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and half of the butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly golden. Add red pepper and parsley and cook for another 5 minutes. Add in wine and cook for couple of minutes. Add clams and the remaining butter, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for another 8 minutes until clams pop open. Shake regularly. Discard any unopened clams.
Stir in fresh or cooked pasta and cook for 2 additional minutes over medium heat. Stir in the extra parsley, chili flakes, if using, and season to taste. Toss to coat. If pasta absorbed most of the liquid, add some of the reserved cooking water. Transfer to serving plates and serve at once.
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