Tagliatelle and Clams

5 mins Prep Time

15 mins Cook Time

Written By

Nadia Boachie

Are you in the mood to try cooking with seafood you don't normally buy? Why not try cooking with clams. Head to your local fishmonger or the seafood section of your local grocery store, grab some fresh clams and check out this recipe. This recipe is extremely easy and absolutely delicious and turns out phenomenal every time. If you are looking for a dish that will impress the masses, try out this recipe. The key to this dish is to use the best ingredients, good quality pasta and fresh clams. I love to grab fresh pasta from local grocers to support small businesses while planning out my weekly dinners.

There are a few tips and tricks to remember for clams. To keep your clams alive (yes, they are alive when you buy them) try to avoid storing them in plastic because they'll suffocate. Place them in a colander set over a shallow dish, cover with a damp towel and store in the coldest part of your fridge. Before cooking, check the outside of the shells. Discard any clams that have broken or cracked shells. Separate the clams with tightly closed shells from those that are opened. The clams with closed shells are still alive and fine to eat. Tap each clamshell that is open on the counter gently and discard any that do not immediately close upon tapping. These clams are either dead or dying and are not safe to eat. Fresh clams should have a sweet, mild smell, so discard any that smell overly fishy. Make sure to give them a good scrub to get rid of grit on the shells before cooking and enjoy your meal!

Ingredients

Tagliatelle and Clams

1 pound tagliatelle or other pasta like spaghetti
Sea salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2-3 dozen littleneck clams (scrubbed)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Directions

Tagliatelle and Clams

3 Steps

Step 1

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the tagliatelle until al dente, then drain the pasta well.
Step 2

While pasta is cooking, in a large, deep skillet or pot, heat the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the clams and 1/4 cup water, cover and simmer until the clams open and are just cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any clams that don't open because this means they are bad.
Step 3

Add the tagliatelle and the chopped parsley to the clams in the skillet and season with pepper. Toss over moderately high heat just until the tagliatelle absorbs some of the juices, about 1 minute. Transfer the tagliatelle and clams to plates or shallow bowls and serve. Feel free to finish with a squeeze of lemon and extra salt.