Orecchiette Pasta And Littleneck Clams Food

ORECCHIETTE WITH CLAMS, SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a separate large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and crumbled, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the clams and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook, removing the clams to a bowl as they open, 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.
• Add the pasta, 3/4 cup reserved cooking water, the roasted red peppers and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Simmer, stirring, until the liquid is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes, adding more cooking water as needed; season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the parsley. Add the clams and gently toss.

ORECCHIETTE WITH CLAMS AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs, adding the grated broccoli during the last 30 seconds of cooking. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs and 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; remove to a bowl.
• Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil with the garlic in a separate pot over medium-high heat. Cook until the garlic is just golden, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, clams and wine. Cover and cook until the clams open, 5 to 7 minutes; remove the clams to a bowl using a slotted spoon (discard any unopened clams). Add the butter, pasta, broccoli and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pot; cook, stirring, until the pasta is well coated, about 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup cooking water if the pasta seems dry.
• Stir the clams and any juices into the pasta. Drizzle each serving with olive oil and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RABE, CLAMS AND SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• 1. Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil.
• 2. Take another large saucepan (big enough to hold clams) and set over medium heat. Add a 2-count of olive oil and loose pork sausage. Cook over medium heat to render fat and get color on the sausage. Once the sausage is browned on all sides, remove and place onto a paper towel-lined plate. To the same pan, add the chopped garlic, red chili flakes and thyme leaves and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Turn up the heat, dump in the cleaned and scrubbed clams and white wine. Cover with a lid and steam for about 10 minutes until the clams open.
• 3. While clams are steaming, cook the pasta. Add orecchiette to boiling water and cook. With about 3 minutes left, add the broccoli rabe to the same pot and cook until tender. Drain pasta and broccoli and place into the saucepan with the browned sausage. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Place into a large serving bowl.
• 4. Now return to the clams. Remove the lid and add the cubes of cold butter and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil as you stir. Once the sauce thickens slightly give it a final seasoning with pepper and a little salt (go easy on the salt) then take the whole pan and pour on top of the orecchiette and broccoli rabe. Shower with fresh Parmesan and parsley.

MARK BITTMAN'S PASTA WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• Steam the clams in a covered pot (a glass top is very nice, voyeuristically speaking). You don't need any liquid other than what the clams will release. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
• After the clams open - it could take as little as 10 minutes - uncover and cool. Take the meat out and strain and reserve the liquid; make sure to leave any sand behind. Chop the clams if they're big.
• Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water. Put 1/4 cup olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the clams and continue to cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved clam liquid.
• Drain the pasta when it's nearly done and stir it into the clams. Cook, stirring, until the pasta is tender and the mixture is saucy. Add more clam-cooking liquid (or hot water or white wine), if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding a little more oil if you like. Garnish, and serve.