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Invitingly Italian: a robust, fresh tomato clam sauce blankets slender pasta strands called linguine. Whole clams in their shells are the garnish. (You'll need some cheesecloth in order to strain the clam juices.)
Makes 4 servings:
1/4 cup olive oil or other vegetable oil
3 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 tsp. each salt and crumbled oregano leaves
1/8 tsp. pepper. A few drops liquid hot pepper seasoning
3 to 4 dozen small hard-shell clams, cleaned
2 tbsp. water
About 6 ounces hot cooked linguine or spaghetti
In a frying pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add parsley and garlic and saute, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, oregano, pepper, and hot pepper seasoning. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes; then reduce to lowest heat to keep warm.Meanwhile, put dams and water into a kettle. Heat, covered, just until clams open; remove from heat. Lift clams from kettle and drain briefly (reserve clam juices in bottom of kettle). When cool enough to handle, cut whole clams from shells by. severing hinge or abductor muscles (reserve some clams in their shells for garnish, if desired); add shucked clams to warm tomato sauce.
Line a wire strainer with 1 layer of cheesecloth; pour reserved clam juices from kettle through strainer and add to tomato sauce (discard cheesecloth). Reheat sauce briefly and serve immediately, spooning it over hot linguine and garnishing with reserved whole clams in shell.
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