Littleneck Clams Oreganato Recipe

Purge and clean

Rinse clams under cold running water to remove grit. Discard any clams with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped. If clams are very sandy, soak them in a bowl of cold salted water (1 tsp kosher salt per 2 cups water) for 20–30 minutes, then rinse.

Steam open

In a large wide pot with a lid, combine 1 cup white wine, 1 cup water and 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a vigorous simmer over medium-high heat. Add the cleaned clams, cover, and steam 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until most clams have just opened. Remove pot from heat. Using tongs, transfer opened clams to a tray; reserve the cooking liquid. Discard any clams that remain tightly closed after steaming.

When cool enough to handle, keep clams in their bottom shells and remove the top half of the shell (if desired) so the clam sits in its bottom shell cup to hold the topping. If some clams have small shells or you prefer, you can keep both shells for presentation, but removing tops makes broiling and eating easier.

Preheat the broiler on high and position an oven rack about 6 inches from the heating element. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and arrange a wire rack on top if you have one; otherwise place clams directly on the foil.

In a medium bowl combine 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 cloves minced garlic, 3 tbsp chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried), 2 tbsp chopped parsley, 1 tbsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp kosher salt. Mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened but still crumbly. Taste a small pinch and adjust salt, lemon or pepper as desired.

If the mixture seems dry, add up to 1 additional tablespoon olive oil. For a richer topping, fold in 1 tbsp melted butter.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the breadcrumb mixture over each clam, pressing lightly so the topping adheres and covers the meat without burying it completely. If some clams are large, use up to 1.5 tablespoons.

Place the prepared clams on the baking sheet (or rack). If desired, brush a little of the reserved steaming liquid over the clams (about 1–2 tsp per clam) to add moisture and flavor before broiling.

Broil the clams on the top rack for 3–5 minutes, watching closely, until the breadcrumb topping is golden brown and sizzling and the edges of the clams are bubbling. Rotate the tray once if broiler heats unevenly.

Remove from oven and let rest 1 minute. Finish with an extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the clams and a light sprinkle of chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.