Fresh Pasta with Clams and Hot Italian Sausage

By LRay

Bon Appetit, February 2016, page 94.

Rolling out and shaping this handmade pasta together is the fun part. Make the dough a day ahead, wrap in plastic, and keep chilled.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more
• 1/4 cup semolina flour, plus more
• 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces hot Italian sausage, casing removed
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 pound Manila or littleneck clams, scrubbed
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Preparation

Step 1

Combine ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour and ¼ cup semolina flour in a large bowl. Add oil and ¼ cup warm water and mix with a fork until a stiff dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8–10 minutes. Wrap tightly in plastic; let sit at room temperature 1 hour.

Cut dough in half. Working with a piece at a time and keeping remaining dough wrapped in plastic, roll dough into a 9x¾" log. Cut on a diagonal into ½" pieces; dust with all-purpose flour.

Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll out between your palms to make about 3" strands that taper at the ends. Dust pasta with semolina flour and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel until ready to use.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add clams and wine; cover. Cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until clams open, about 5 minutes; discard any that do not open.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Add butter, parsley, pasta, and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid to clams. Cook, tossing and adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt.