Pasta with Clam Sauce

I am very excited to share with you this recipe for Pasta with Clam Sauce for a number of reasons. First, this is a recipe that is about as classic and traditional as it gets in regards to an Italian-American kitchen. Second, it is also a recipe that not only have I not ever featured on this blog, but also one that I have not ever had the opportunity to make on my own.

Most of all, this is a recipe that is not only enjoyable any time of the year, it is also a perfect dish to include in the upcoming Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fish dinner.

The recipe is courtesy of friend and fellow foodie, Janelle Fragale. Janelle has a deep passion for her Italian-American culture and heritage, and this is reflected in her love for continuing her family’s traditions in the kitchen. Her family also has a background in the food industry, which carries through with her passion for cooking. When Janelle asked if I would be interested in sharing her family recipe for Pasta with Clam Sauce, I was elated. I also though it would be a good opportunity to lead off with a Q&A session to find out more about her passion and history with food, along with some tips and tricks on how she manages certain dietary restrictions.

I hope you enjoy the Q&A session, along with Janelle’s recipe for Pasta with Clam Sauce. Buon Natale!
– Dom

You come from an Italian American family that is steeped in tradition, where family gatherings are important. Can you share a little of the traditions that your family follows?

One of the most important traditions that we’ve always done is no matter what, we make sauce on Sunday and we eat together. Sometimes we have meatballs in the sauce, pepperoni, sausage, braicole, all of these meats give the sauce a delicious flavor. We usually call it Sunday dinner even though it happens around 2 o’clock in the afternoon. In Italy, they usually have a bigger meal in the middle of the day so that’s why we usually say Sunday dinner. This all goes well with a nice loaf of bread for dipping! 

Your family has a history in the food industry. Can you share a little about that? How did this exposure help influence your tastes in food? 

Yes, so my family owned a wholesale meat business where we serviced many of the restaurants, deli’s, pizzerias, & banquet halls. As an appreciation to these customers for buying from us, we would frequent these restaurants on a Saturday night. From a young girl, I knew right away what an experience it was to dine out. From the atmosphere, to the appetizers, to the specials, etc I used to take it all in and knew how special it was and what was unique about each place. I would also be critiquing in my head of what I thought could be better too!

Holiday gatherings and big family meals are often a key component to an Italian-American family. What were holidays like for you growing up? Do you continue with the same traditions?

Holidays growing up were a lot of fun. My favorite holiday has to be Christmas Eve since a lot of my favorite food is on that menu. We always celebrated the Feast of the Seven Fish where you incorporate some type of fish in almost every meal that night. Pasta with Clam Sauce, a cold Seafood Salad, Fried Shrimp/Fried Calamari just to name a few. Then after we ate, Santa would make a special trip in to hand out all of the gifts. We still continue this tradition til this day and I am looking forward to it this year! 

You mentioned to me that you have a nut allergy. How old were you when you discovered this? Do you find this to be a challenge being in a family where gatherings often involved food?

I was about 5 years old when I discovered that I had a nut allergy. I was actually helping my Grandmother crack walnuts open and I started to get a severe allergic reaction. Throughout the years, we had to adjust certain things, especially in desserts.  

What are some tricks that you can share for a dish that normally calls for a nut ingredient? For example, pesto comes to mind for me right away. One of the key ingredients that I use are pine nuts or walnuts. What tips can you offer for the readers who may also deal with nut allergies?

Some alternatives could be using a seed or seed butter such as sunflower seed butter for that nutty taste. For pesto, I usually omit the nuts altogether or add in some sunflower seeds and of course some extra grated cheese and garlic.

Who would you say is your biggest influence in the kitchen?

My biggest influence in the kitchen is of course my Mom. She has always been an excellent cook & baker as well. I have learned a lot from her throughout the years. I always paid attention, even though she didn’t give me much time to practice since she was always doing the cooking lol. She’s impressed with my cooking skills now. 

What is one ingredient that you could not live without?

One ingredient  I would never live without would be garlic!!! The more garlic the better!! Nothing worse than a dish without any garlic! 

Pasta with Clam Sauce

Courtesy of Janelle Fragale

1 pound of linguini or long pasta of choice 
6 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4-6 cloves of garlic finely chopped  (the more the better)
1/2 cup of dry white wine 
Red pepper flakes (about 1/2 teaspoon, plus additional to your preference)
2 pounds of of little neck clams cleaned 
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt to taste 

In a large pot over high heat, bring water and salt to a boil. Add linguini or pasta of choice and cook according to the directions. You can leave the pasta a bit under cooked since it will cook another minute or two when combined with the other ingredients. Reserve one cup pasta water.

In a separate large sauté pan, heat the olive oil. Add in the chopped garlic and sauté just until golden. Add the wine, red pepper flakes, salt, clams and some fresh parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook covered until the clams open. 

Drain the pasta and add it to the pan along with some of the reserved cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, to create a nice saucy consistency. 

Toss and mix altogether. Add some more fresh parsley and red pepper flakes and salt if needed. Transfer to pasta bowl and serve with a nice piece of crusty Italian bread!