I forgot to add red pepper. And the only parsley I had was dried.
No matter, my impromptu dinner of linguine with clam sauce turned out just fine, thank you. I realized I had all the makings for this in my cupboard: little cans of chopped and whole clams, and clam broth. I sautéed garlic in olive oil first and added some white wine which I cooked down, before adding clam broth (which I also cooked down slightly) and clams. Pasta in many forms is always on hand.
I almost always use dried pasta (De Cecco or Barilla Plus), preferring it to fresh for most dishes. But every now and then I pick up some fresh egg pasta at Lucy’s Ravioli Kitchen, and find it satisfying when I want a somewhat richer dish. But this time the goal was to use up some of what was languishing in my cupboards, and the result was delicious, even reheated for lunch at work a day or two later. The key for me in this dish is to use plenty of liquid in the sauce, so the pasta doesn’t absorb it all, even as leftovers. I like my pasta dishes moist, not dry, although I am careful not to over sauce when I’m using tomatoes. We American have a habit of drowning our spaghetti in tomato sauce, which is not at all the way it’s done in Italy. Just like you shouldn’t overdress your salad.
NJ SPICE 