Linguine with clam sauce

Saw a little discussion of this dish in this thread, but decided to create a new thread after a very successful audition of this Rachel Ray recipe, of all things. Cooking a tin of anchovies down into the hot olive oil at the beginning did wonders for the overall briny taste.

I'm quite pleased to have this to work from, but also curious as to what others' experiences have taught them.

RR's recipe lists as one of the ingredients "1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan". What does that mean?

continuous pouring 4x around the pan.

how bizarre.

Ha - yeah, I disregarded that instruction.

I see that you were also supposed to circle the pan twice when you added the 1/2 cup of wine. Perhaps hopping on one leg while adding the thyme would help too

Anyway, sounds like a perfectly decent recipe. One thing I would change would be to double the garlic. But I always say that.

I used to make this recipe all the time as a poor grad student with canned clams from Trader Joe's. Embarrassed as I am to say this, but this is one RR dish that seems to work.

It sounds good except for the baby clams. I would prefer the bigger chopped clams over minced clams or whole baby clams.

Kennyz wrote:I see that you were also supposed to circle the pan twice when you added the 1/2 cup of wine. Perhaps hopping on one leg while adding the thyme would help too

Anyway, sounds like a perfectly decent recipe. One thing I would change would be to double the garlic. But I always say that.

FWIW, the circle idea is her way of measuring: the recipes contain measurements because that's how they're published, but she just glugs the stuff into the pan, going around it once or twice and recommends that her viewers eyeball it.

At any rate, I just found this cute story on Pioneer Woman. Should mention that this was the first meal my spouse cooked for me - and I'd never had it before...

I plan on making this for my mother...I do not know much about it but am looking at recipes.
Fresh or canned clams? I will probably go with canned but would like to know what is traditional. Anchovies or not? White wine or not? Is there cream added? Is clam juice also necessary? Also what makes it "white" clam sauce? There are many recipes and they are different so I am trying to see what is the best way to go. Thx.

Fresh clams steamed w/dry white wine and shallots, cooled and chopped w/liquid reserved are best, but canned clams and clam juice will suffice. No cream, the white comes from the clam stock mixed w/o oil and a knob of butter and a bit of pasta water. Besides garlic it should be flecked w/chopped parsley as well. Do not overcook clams unless you like erasers, so put them in towards the end just to warm them through. An old trick is thicken w/bread crumbs @ the end. I like the idea of anchovies although have never used them in this dish myself. I'd mince them and add them in the begining when browning the garlic in the oil and if useing cut back on the salt.

Oh, man.
I'm not eating pasta at the moment and this thread is giving me crazy thoughts of chugging a pint glass of clam sauce with double clams, double garlic and melted anchovies.
*gurgle*

Using anchovies and canned clams, I don't know how this can be termed 'Linguine with clam sauce'?
Garlic, slow simmered in a an oilve oil/butter mixture, chopped flat parsely added at the last momoent and then fresh clams are the key ingrediants. Canned anchovies/flat parsely make an entirely different mixture termed a persillade and can be very good on its own for many uses but it's not a 'clam sauce'
My experience with canned clams is that the tastes is a poor relation to fresh and the preservatives and canning process give a 'unique' flavor.
Clam size presents two methods of prep, if small enough, a good washing and add to the sauce mixture just before serving is best but if large clams, either opening, chopping or if challenged for clam opening, a steaming until just opening and removal frm the shell with tongs, quick chop and addition to the sauce will work almost as well. The taste is quite a bit more subtle than the above recipe and just tastes like Linguine with clams.-Dick

One other question....do you put parmesan cheese on it before eating? I guess that is a matter of taste but I would like to get an opinion.

Traditionally, you don't use cheese in pasta w/seafood, but it's about what you like.

Dick,

Have you got a bit more of a recipe for your fresh clam sauce? Here in the Champlain Valley we'll soon be getting small Maine clams (in a net bag, 50 for $5) and I'd like to try it.

TIA--

Geo

I have see recipes that have whole small clams in it and also ones where the clams are chopped up. What is a good brand of canned clams if I have to use them? Are there frozen clams too? (I would make the chopped up kind of sauce)

Geo wrote:Dick,

Have you got a bit more of a recipe for your fresh clam sauce? Here in the Champlain Valley we'll soon be getting small Maine clams (in a net bag, 50 for $5) and I'd like to try it.

TIA--

Geo

First, high quality extra virgin olive oil and high quality butter. Lower quality olive oil while labeled Extra Virgin are more acidic and great for salads and maybe frying but in this sauce, not so good.
Wash your clams and discard any that are open and will not close.
Crush your fresh garlic and add to taste and slowly simmer in the olive oil/butter mixture, do not allow to brown which changes the garlic flavor. Sorry about proportions but to make a 1/2# of pasta, I would think a 1/4 cup olive oil to 1/8 cup butter. You just want flavor and not swimming in oil/butter.
Cook your pasta while heating your clams in the oil/butter/garlic mixture. The clams will give off liquid preventing the garlic from burning. discard any clams that don't open, mix with pasta and serve. Depending on the clams, you may or may not want to add some salt. I always add a little white pepper to the mix.
We use Romano or Reggiano freshly ground at the table.-Dick

toria wrote:I have see recipes that have whole small clams in it and also ones where the clams are chopped up. What is a good brand of canned clams if I have to use them? Are there frozen clams too? (I would make the chopped up kind of sauce)

Usually both canned and frozen have preservatives and if you can't get fresh or can't handle fresh, I would just make a sauce of garlic/parsely/olive oil/butter.-Dick

Tnx Dick,

Gonna try it, soon as the clams arrive here.

Geo

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