Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Littleneck or cockle clams
- Linguine or other long pasta
- Splash of wine
- Garlic
- Chopped tomatoes
Preparation
Step 1
I start by heating olive oil in a skillet, then adding in the smallest clams I can find. (These are sold as “cockles,” and they’re usually imported, but if you can find little littlenecks, that’s a better choice.) At the same time, start cooking linguine or other pasta. A splash of wine — not too much — and you’ll see the clams opening before your eyes; really fun. They’ll give off a fair amount of liquid. As they do, lower the heat a bit; there’s no reason to cook that liquid out.
Add some garlic and, if you like, chopped tomatoes, and continue to cook until the tomatoes soften a bit. When the pasta is sort of tender but not yet done, drain it, and toss it right into the pan with the clams. (Some basil is good here, too.) The pasta will absorb some of that exuded clam juice, and become incredibly delicious. When the pasta is fully tender, eat.