Pasta with Clams

This is a simple, elegant take on pasta with clam sauce that serves as a beautiful, light dinner with a salad and garlicky toasted bread. It can also be a highly nutritious meal. Whole grain pasta provides fiber and micronutrients that refined pasta can’t offer. You might also try red or green lentil pasta, which is similar in flavor to enriched wheat pasta but is an excellent source of protein, fiber and iron. Clams are also surprising nutrition powerhouses.They are rich in protein, vitamin B12, iron and omega-3 fatty acids.  

Makes: 4 servings
Time to Cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients

· 24 to 48 littleneck or Manila clams, scrubbed

· Salt (probably not much) and pepper to taste

· 12 ounces long pasta, like spaghetti or linguine, preferably whole grain or Gluten free

· ¼ cup olive oil, or more

· ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

· 2 cloves sliced garlic, or to taste

· Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Cooking Instructions

1. Steam the clams in a covered pot. 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.

2. 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.

3. Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water. Put ¼ 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 ½ cup of the reserved clam liquid.

Nutrition per serving
552 calories; 30 grams protein; 16 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 69 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugar; 791 milligrams sodium

Recipe from Mark Bittman, NY Times Cooking