Littleneck Clams, White Wine Sauce, Sghetti

LITTLENECK CLAMS

Purchase clams and mussels that closed shut. If they are open slightly, give them a gentle tap and they should close on their own. This means they are alive. Discard any open clams or mussels.

Clams tend to be a little sandy. Rinse with cold water a couple of times to remove the sand. Never submerge clams or mussels in water. It is best to store them on ice!

Littleneck Clams, White Wine Sauce, Sghetti

• 1 LB Littleneck Clams (Rinsed Thoroughly)
• Parsley (Chopped Fine)
• 1 Shallot (Chopped Fine)
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
• 2 Small Lemons (Zested)
• 1 Cup Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 Cup Grated Parm
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Handful Pasta of your choosing

1. Set two large pots on the stove.
2. Fill one with salted water and bring it up to a boil.
3. In the other pot, heat pot over medium heat. Once hot, add a generous amount of olive oil. Add shallots and garlic and a pinch of salt and cook down until fragrant and soft (about 2 min).
4. Deglaze with a cup of Sauvignon Blanc. Then add clams. Cover the pot and cook for 5 minutes, or until clams have opened.
5. Add pasta to salted water and cook only half the amount of time it says on the package instructions.
6. Once the clams have opened up (about 5 min covered), remove them from the pot to a bowl and tent them with foil so they stay warm. Set aside.
7. To the pot the clams were cooking in, add the pasta that has only been cooked halfway through and about 1 ½ - 2 cups of the pasta water. Bring up to a boil and continue to cook the pasta.
8. After about 3-4 minutes, a sauce should begin to form (it will have a nice sheen). Remove the pot from heat. Stir in butter, parm, and lemon zest to the pasta. If the sauce thickens too much, add some pasta water and continue to stir. Season to your liking (I just went with salt & freshly cracked black pepper).
9. Plate and serve with littleneck clams.