Manilla Clam & Pancetta Linguini in a White Wine Sauce

[Canelek]

Basically, clams are fucking rad.

Serves 2...

1 LB Fresh Manilla Clams (You can use steamers, etc, but cook times will likely change)
- You can keep clams alive in fridge for a maximum of 2 days
by putting them in an open container and covered by a wet towel.
1/4 LB Pancetta (or good bacon)
Linguini - You know how to cook pasta. Boil enough for 2, al dente
1/2 Cup Fresh Italian Parsley
4 cloves garlic
1 cup white wine (use decent wine and pair it with a better wine of same varietal)
2 TBPS UNSALTED Butter (clams come with their own salt)
Sourdough, or whatever you prefer to grill/toast...as you would bruschetta
1 TBSP olive oil (Extra Virgin)
1 tsp red pepper flakes (omit if you do not want any heat) (I sometimes use 2 tsp or more)

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Rinse clams under tap. You will not likely need to scrub if they are farm raised, which is pretty much the norm. Now is a good time to get water and salt into a pot for the pasta, as well as stage your ingredients and cut bread.

Cut up pancetta into bite size pieces (small enough where they can end up inside clam shells via stirring), chop up parsley and mince garlic.

Add pancetta to large pan and set heat to medium. Cook until browned and remove from pan. If using bacon instead, do the same and remove the grease (you do save your bacon grease, right??). Pancetta does not produce near as much grease as bacon.

Add olive oil, red pepper flakes and garlic. Sautee until garlic lightly browned, and fragrance released. Do not burn!

Add wine (deglaze), scrape cooked-on bits with wooded spoon/spatula and let simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken.

Add butter and let it melt - it will only take 20 seconds or so, if that

Add clams & cooked pancetta and cover pan tightly

The clams will open in ~5-8 minutes. Check at 5 minutes, then ever couple of minutes until most are open. (other types of clams have different cooking times, so please consult the interwebs or your butcher)

Once clams are open, they are done. Do not let them continue to cook unless you favor rubber. You can remove from head and set aside until your pasta and bread is done. This is why it is nice to have everything ready to go, since clams do not need to cook long.

DISCARD ANY CLAMS THAT DO NOT OPEN.

Before serving, toss drained pasta and parsley into your pan and mix them up (tongs work well here, and you can gentle as to not force the clams out of their shells too much). Serve with your crusty bread. I generally cut a garlic clove in half and rub over bread, befor or after browning. also, I sometimes put some olive oil on the slices prior to baking/broiling. Up to you...

[Ashur]

I knew when I saw the pretentious dish name, Lizard-boy would be the author.

Sounds yummy!

[Canelek]

Clam and bacon spaghetti sound better?

It is really simple though.

[Ashur]

I miss cooking. It's not worth it for just myself, but my wife and daughter are pickier eaters than I (though they'd never admit it).

[Aabidano]

Poor little clams!

Sounds pretty darn tasty though

[Canelek]

For those of you who do Hallmark day Sunday, this is almost certainly going to get you some V.

[Midnyte_Ragebringer]

Damn that sounds good.

[Canelek]

Quite good! Made this again last night. It is very easy!

[Ashur]

Needs cheese.

[Drolgin Steingrinder]

Needs cheese.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4zw99VsoMA

[Ashur]

I stopped viewing when I saw that face.