Linguine with white clam sauce

Fresh clams are the key to flavour when making clam sauce. They open their shells in the sauté pan and leave behind delicious briny juices that become the foundation for the sauce. Besides, fresh clams taste much better and less salty than canned clams and bottled clam juice.

Preparation time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 25 minutes 

Serves 6

• 500 ml (2 c) water
• 75 ml (1/3 c) dry white wine
• 2 g (1/2 tsp) dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) red-pepper flakes
• 2 kg (4 lb/8 c) littleneck clams, well scrubbed
• 450 g (1 3/4 c) linguine, preferably whole-grain
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) butter
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) half-and-half
• 50 g (1/4 c) chopped fresh parsley.

1.  Pour the water and wine into a large, deep sauté pan.
2. Add the oregano, bay leaf and red-pepper flakes, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until slightly reduced in volume, about five minutes.
3. Add the clams, cover and simmer until the clams open, four to six minutes. Using tongs, drain the open clams of any juice and transfer to a large bowl. Discard any clams that do not open. Scrape the clams from the shells, coarsely chop and transfer to a medium bowl. Discard the shells and pour any juices back into the pan.
4. Strain the contents of the pan through a fine-mesh sieve into the clam bowl. Meanwhile, cook the linguine according to the package directions; drain, reserving 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) of the pasta water.
5. Wipe out the sauté pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook gently until soft but not browned, four to five minutes. Add the reserved pasta water, butter and half-and-half and stir until blended. Add the drained pasta and parsley, tossing well to coat.
6. Divide among pasta bowls.

Nutritional information per serving: 557 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 65 g carbs, 49 g protein, 3 g fibre, 110 mg cholesterol, 192 mg sodium, 175 mg calcium.