Local Clams Linguini Recipe

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water (about 4–5 quarts) to a rolling boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente according to package instructions (typically 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Finish pasta in sauce

When the clams are open and the sauce is ready, add the drained linguine to the skillet with the clam sauce. Add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water, the butter, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss vigorously over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the pasta is evenly coated and the sauce clings to the noodles. If needed, add more reserved pasta water 1–2 tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.

Garnish and serve

Remove from heat. Stir in chopped parsley and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the pasta, toss, and season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed. Divide among plates and finish each serving with the remaining lemon half (cut into wedges) and an optional sprinkle of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Prepare clams

Rinse the clams under cold water, discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. If clams are sandy, soak them in cold salted water for 20 minutes and then drain and rinse again.

Start the sauce

In a large wide skillet or sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sliced garlic and minced shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant but not browned, about 1–2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook 15–20 seconds more.

Deglaze with wine

Increase heat to medium-high and pour in the cup of dry white wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes, which concentrates flavor and cooks off some alcohol.

Steam the clams

Add the clams to the pan in an even layer. Pour in 1 cup of stock (or an additional 1/2 cup wine if you prefer) and sprinkle the teaspoon of kosher salt and black pepper over the top. Cover with the lid and increase the heat to high enough to produce steam. Cook until the clams open, about 5–7 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally to redistribute liquid. Discard any clams that remain closed after 7–8 minutes.

Reduce & finish sauce

Once clams have opened, remove the lid and reduce heat to medium. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer most of the clams to a bowl, leaving the cooking liquid in the pan. Let the cooking liquid simmer briskly for 1–2 minutes to concentrate flavor; taste and adjust seasoning. If sauce seems too thin for coating pasta, reduce another minute or add a tablespoon of reserved pasta water later while tossing.