Clams Casino Cappellini: Fresh Clam Sauce alla kattyeyes

[kattyeyes]

I love clams casino, but never saw a recipe for it as zuppa over pasta...so I came up with this. After our clam discussion on "What's for dinner?" I thought others would enjoy a different spin on clam sauce, too. Here 'tis:
http://kattyskitchen.wordpress.com/20...

This fed two of us last night, with a little bowl of leftovers for me today. With a salad and some bread (and some restraint!), I think you could easily feed three people with this recipe.

[Phurstluv]

As usual, another brilliant idea from you, friend! Looks delicious, I will have to try it when my NE parents come to visit next month! Two of their favorite things, clams and pasta!!

[operagirl]

This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing!

http://operagirlcooks.com

[c oliver]

I've been intending for years to cook bacon in the oven and, thanks to you, I did that this morning. I'm VERY picky about bacon and this was as good as what I've been cooking. But it might help to know that if you cook the bacon at 400, it will be done in about 10 minutes. And there's no need to flip the bacon, just rotate the pan 180 halfway through. Got this from CI.

Also wondered for your dish, what about sauteeing the garlic and shallot in the bacon drippings along with the evoo. Since you're using the bacon anyway, might be nice to enhance flavor. That's what Hazan (and I) do with carbonara. I just had breakfast and am now wanting spaghetti carbonara for lunch - with Meyer lemon olive oil ice cream :)

[c oliver]

You've really piqued my interest so I did a little research. Seems the reason you couldn't find a recipe for this is because...IT'S NOT ITALIAN!!! That's so funny. See attached link for the origin:

http://almostitalian.com/clams-casino/

Now we know "the rest of the story."

[kattyeyes]

Clams casino is very popular in my neck of the woods as its roots are in RI--I'm familiar with the story. But the reason I couldn't find a recipe for it is, IMO, because no one else had such a brilliant idea before me. HA HA HA! Shocking, yet apparently true from my googling. And P.S. when I make this dish, it absolutely IS ITALIAN!!! :) Or at least a quarter...just like me!

[c oliver]

Just like I'm part Chinese when I make xiao long bao! I've been eating clams casino since before you were born probably --- in Atanta, SF and places in between. A good dish is a good dish even if it ain't Italian.

[c oliver]

Sounds interesting. I'm NOT even part Italian but do know that "zuppa" is soup. Is this like a clam soup that has cappellini in it? And would that be why you used the cappellini rather than a thicker pasta. I figure it must be soup because of the large volume of water and also the fact that you chopped the clams . Inquiring minds want to know please :)

[kattyeyes]

Nope, not a soup per se. It's clam sauce--same as you'd have over linguini. I simply prefer cappellini to thicker pasta. I chopped the clams because I like to be able to get all the flavors onto one spoonful/forkful. And the zuppa is good to the last slurp!

[c oliver]

It just sounds a lot "soupier" than any clam "sauce" I've had, esp. since you mention slurping :) Any thought in the future to leaving the clams in the shell? I've had a soup like that with chorizo. If it served two generously, would that be about a half pound of pasta? Thanks for letting me pick you brain :)

[kattyeyes]

That's how we've always made clam sauce in my family--with clam broth, garlic & oil and parsley. I have no desire to leave the clams in the shell. I like it just the way it is and don't like messing with clamshells over my pasta. :) Oh, yes, and half a pound of pasta--that's right!

[c oliver]

When I steam clams, I use either no liquid or just a little white wine. That would account for your dish being "wetter" than what I'm accustomed to, I'm sure.

[kattyeyes]

Well, now, the wetter, the better as they say... (Did I just type that? Why, yes, I did!)

[c oliver]

You are soooo bad. I can't believe that either :) LOL.

[bushwickgirl]

This is a nice change up from the appetizer and the classic clam sauce and, why not, it's about time.