Spaghettini with Spinich & Red Clam Sauce
Submitted by handyman4U
Spaghettini with red clam sauce tosses thin pasta in a garlicky tomato and clam-juice sauce, with fresh spinach wilted in and a shower of parmesan. A quick, brothy weeknight seafood pasta.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
35 minREADY
45 minRed clam sauce is the brighter, lighter cousin of the classic white version. Here it’s built on plum tomatoes and briny clam juice, scented with plenty of garlic.
The small but smart move is a quick roux. Cooking the onion and garlic, then stirring in a little flour before the liquids go in, thickens the sauce just enough to coat thin strands of spaghettini instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Timing keeps everything fresh. The tomato base simmers while the pasta boils, then the clams and chopped spinach go in at the very end and cook for barely a minute, just long enough for the greens to wilt and the clams to warm through without turning rubbery.
Toss the drained pasta straight into the sauce with a handful of parmesan so it clings to every noodle. Pass extra cheese at the table for anyone who wants it.
Chef Tips
- Add the clams and spinach at the last moment; overcooking toughens the clams and dulls the bright spinach.
- Cook the flour about 30 seconds before adding liquid so the sauce doesn’t taste raw or pasty.
- Reserve a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce if it tightens up before serving.
Variations
- Use fresh littleneck clams in the shell, steaming them open right in the sauce.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a fra diavolo-style kick.
- Stir a splash of white wine in with the clam juice for extra depth.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring large pot of water to boil.
Coarsely chop the tomatoes and onion.
In large skillet, warm the butter and oil over medium-high heat until the butter melts.
Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion just begins to brown, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the flour, and cook, stirring until the flour is no longer visible, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomatoes, clam juice, salt and pepper.
Bring the liquid to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes, or according to package directions.
While the pasta and tomato sauce are cooking, stem and roughly chop the fresh spinich.
Bring the tomato sauce to a boil over medium-high heat.
Stir in the clams and spinich and cook until the fresh spinich just wilts about 1 minute.
Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce and ⅓ cup of the parmesan.
Pass remaining parmesan on the side.
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