Linguine with White Clam Sauce

A classic Italian pasta dish featuring linguine tossed in a flavorful sauce made with cockles, white wine, and garlic. The combination of fresh seafood, aromatic herbs, and spicy red pepper flakes creates a delicious and elegant meal.

4 servings
27 min

Ingredients

  • cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • ¾ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • cup dry white wine
  • cup bottled clam juice
  • 1 lb linguine
  • 2 lb small cockles
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • to taste accompaniments

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and clam juice and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

    9 min

  2. 2.

    Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot ofboiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander.

    10 min

  3. 3.

    While pasta is cooking, stir cockles into sauce and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cockles open wide, 4 to 6 minutes. (Discard any cockles that have not opened after 6 minutes.) Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted.

    6 min

  4. 4.

    Add pasta to cockles along with parsley and salt to taste, then toss with sauce until combined well.

    2 min