I love spaghetti in clam sauce!  Especially white clam sauce (this recipe comes out a little pink with the addition of the red finger chili pepper). When I discovered Capello's spaghetti, it meant I could once again eat it with abandon.  Although I often use hearts of palm pasta as a substitute in recipes and certainly you could use it here, I really like the almond pasta with this sauce.

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If you are a purist, you would not put cheese on this dish.  But I like it, so I do it. Sometimes.

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Mangiamo!

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Serves 2.

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Ingredients

• 1 box Capello's spaghetti (follow instructions on box for cooking)

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 shallots, thinly sliced

• 3 - 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 1/2 pounds Manila or Little Neck clams, scrubbed clean

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

• 1tsp dried oregano (I like to crush oregano buds from Burlap & Barrel) or a bit more fresh oregano chopped

• 1 red finger pepper, seeds removed (or not) finely diced

• 1/4 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

• 1 bottle clam juice

• 1 tablespoon butter, diced into small cubes

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 lemon, zested, for garnish

• parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

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Start to boil large pot of water according to instructions.  Add a large pinch of Maldon (sea) salt to water.

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Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and holland pepper. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and oregano and cook for another minute. Add wine and clam juice and bring to boil. Add clams. Cover pan. Lower heat to simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until most clams have opened.  

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Remove clams from pan and set aside.

 

Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.

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​The almond pasta cooks very quickly.  Cook for 75 seconds.  Drain and rinse.

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Add pasta to sauce and toss. 

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To serve, place pasta in bowl, arrange clams around it.  Add any remaining sauce in pan to bowls

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Zest lemon over the dish, being carefull not to zest the white part of the lemon, which is bitter. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

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