Salsa di Vongole
(Clam Sauce)
To make this sauce in bianco ("white" rather than red, without tomatoes), omit the tomatoes, add shelled cockles or clams to the garlic-infused olive oil, deglaze with 2/3 cup of dry white wine, and cook 3 minutes, or until the wine reduces by two-thirds, and toss with the pasta.
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 pounds cockles or Manila clams or littleneck clams
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 dried chili pepper, crumbled
1 and 1/2 cups chopped Italian plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Salt
Directions:
Soak cockles or clams in a bowl of cool water and cover with 1 tablespoon of salt for 30 minutes.
Drain, rinse, and place in a 12" saute pan with wine; bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium-high heat. As they open, remove cockles or clams to a plate. Discard any that do not open.
Strain cooking juices through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a small bowl.
Heat the olive oil in the same saute pan. Add garlic and chili pepper; cook 30 seconds over medium-high heat.
Stir in tomatoes and the strained cooking juices from cockles or clams, bring to a boil, and simmer until sauce is reduced, about 15 minutes.
As tomatoes are cooking, shell clams or cockles. Fold in the shelled cockles or clams and parsley; cook 2 minutes. This is enough sauce for one pound of linguine or other pasta.