Whole Wheat Pasta With Smoked Clams And Fiddleheads Food

WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and chard stems; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes start breaking apart, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chard leaves to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start wilting, about 3 minutes. Add the pasta, the reserved cooking water and 1/4 cup cheese; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with the remaining cheese.

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.

WHOLE WHEAT PASTA

Steps:

• Stir together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour and salt in a medium bowl, or on a clean board. Make a hollow in the center, and pour in the olive oil. Break eggs into it one at a time, while mixing quickly with a fork until the dough is wet enough to come together. Knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is stiff and elastic. Cover, and let stand for 30 minutes to relax.
• Roll out dough by hand with a rolling pin, or use a pasta machine to achieve the desired thickness of noodles. Cut into desired width and shapes. Allow the pasta to air dry for at least 15 minutes to avoid having it clump together.

PASTA WITH CLAMS

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté pancetta, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in clams, clam juice, wine, and chiles and boil, covered, until clams open, about 4 to 5 minutes (discard any clams that do not open after 6 minutes). If using whole chiles, remove with a slotted spoon and discard.
• While clams are cooking, cook pasta in a 6-quart pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Drain in a colander, then add to clams and simmer, stirring, 30 seconds.
• Toss pasta with parsley and drizzle with remaining 5 tablespoons oil.

ONE-POT CLAM SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Place the spaghetti, clams with their juices, olive oil, oregano leaves, crushed red pepper, garlic, onion and a good pinch of salt in a large high-sided skillet. Add 4 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring and turning the pasta frequently with tongs, until the spaghetti is al dente and most of the liquid has evaporated and thickened, 9 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the spinach, Parmesan and butter. Toss to make sure everything is well coated and combined. Season to taste with black pepper and more salt if needed. Serve, garnished with more oregano leaves and crushed red pepper flakes.

FIDDLEHEAD PASTA

Steps:

• To clean and cook fiddleheads: Clean fiddleheads in cold water and rinse several times until the water looks clear. Cut off black ends.
• Bring to a boil 1 1/4 cups water with 1/2 teaspoons salt. Add fiddleheads, making sure they are totally submerged (otherwise they will turn black).
• Cook 8-10 fiddleheads until al dente. when cooked, remove from boiling water and run under cold water so they remain al dente. Set aside.
• Cook pasta as dierected on package. Drain and run cold water over noodles to keep them al dente. Keep warm.
• Combine olive oil and garlic and mix well.
• Toss fiddleheads with pasta, oil-garlic mixture, 1/4 teaspoons salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. If desired for a slighty sweet taste or add hot peppers for a spicy flavor.

WHOLE WHEAT PASTA WITH SMOKED CLAMS AND FIDDLEHEADS

Steps:

• Place the fiddleheads into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. The water will turn brown. Drain, and set aside.
• While the fiddleheads are boiling, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the spaghetti, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the garlic until fragrant, then stir in the smoked clams. Stir in the drained fiddleheads, white wine, and salt. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Toss with spaghetti, and serve with Parmesan cheese.