Spaghetti Con Le Vongole (spaghetti With Clam Sauce)

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 cup clam broth, fresh from the shucked clams or 1 cup bottled clam juice
• 1/4 cup dry wine
• 6 -8 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 lb spaghetti or 1 lb linguine
• 2 tablespoons soft butter
• 3 dozen small hardshell clams, shucked
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf italian parsley
• salt
• pepper

Recipe

• 1 in a heavy 10-12 inch skillet, heat the olive oil until a light haze forms over it. stir in the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds.
• 2 pour in the clam broth and wine and boil briskly over high heat until the foam disappears and the liquid has reduced to about 3/4 cup. remove from heat and set aside.
• 3 in a large kettle or soup pot bring the water and salt to a bubbling boil over high heat.
• 4 drop in the spaghetti and stir it gently with a wooden fork or spoon for a few moments to prevent the strands from sticking to one another or the bottom of the pot.
• 5 boil over high heat, for 7-12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
• 6 test it by tasting a strand; it should be soft but al dente-that is, slightly resistant to the bite. immediately drain the spaghetti into a large colander, lifting the strands with a fork to be sure it is thoroughly drained.
• 7 transfer the spaghetti to a large heated serving bowl and toss it with the soft butter. bring the sauce in the skillet to a boil over high heat and add the clams.
• 8 cook the clams, turning them constantly, for 1 or 2 minutes. then pour the clams and sauce over the spaghetti, sprinkle with parsley, and toss together with two large forks until all the ingredients are well mixed.
• 9 taste and season with salt and pepper. serve at once.