Pasta Clam Sauce | Chef Jean-Pierre

star_border

Steps

French Style

1. 1
   Cook spaghetti in heavily salted boiling water to 95% done. Drain, toss with olive oil. Set aside.

   ~8 min
2. 2
   In a sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add finely minced shallots and cook until light golden brown. Add minced garlic — do not burn. Add a splash of pastis (or anise seeds as substitute). Add fresh tarragon leaves.

   Tip: Brown the butter slightly to develop a nutty aroma — the French technique of beurre noisette adds depth.

   ~4 min
3. 3
   Add the cooked clams with their reserved clam juice. Add a splash more of white wine if needed. Add a touch of cream and lemon zest. Bring to a gentle boil to reduce and bring flavors together. Season with salt.

   Tip: Taste as it reduces — the lemon and tarragon flavors bloom as the sauce concentrates.

   ~5 min
4. 4
   Add the pre-cooked spaghetti to the pan. Toss to coat. Add a little pasta water for starch. Turn off the heat and finish with butter and Parmesan cheese — the residual heat will melt both without breaking the sauce.

   Tip: Always turn off the heat before adding the finishing butter — high heat separates butter into clarified fat and you lose the emulsion.

   ~3 min
5. 5
   Plate the spaghetti. Arrange clams on and around the pasta. Spoon extra sauce over the top. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh parsley.

   ~2 min

Italian Style

1. 1
   Cook linguini in heavily salted boiling water until 95% done (just shy of al dente). Drain, toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

   Tip: Pre-cooking pasta this way is ideal for dinner parties — you can reheat it in the pasta water at the last minute.

   ~8 min
2. 2
   In a sauté pan, heat garlic olive oil over medium. Add one very thinly sliced garlic clove and parsley stems. Let it turn lightly golden — do not burn.

   Tip: Slice the garlic razor-thin. The Italians use very little garlic — restraint is the key.

   ~2 min
3. 3
   Add the cooked clams and their reserved clam juice to the pan. Toss to combine and reheat. Add the pre-cooked linguini. Splash in generous pasta water and toss vigorously to create an emulsion between the olive oil and starchy water — this is the 'emotion' that makes the sauce silky without cream.

   Tip: Don't be afraid to add a lot of pasta water — the starch binds everything into a glossy sauce.

   ~3 min
4. 4
   Remove from heat. Add fresh parsley leaves and optional lemon zest. Season with salt and black pepper. Plate twisting the pasta, arrange clam shells around the plate, drizzle reserved clam juice over the top, and finish with more parsley.

   Tip: Never add cheese to Italian clam pasta — it is considered sacrilege.

   ~2 min

Shared Base (Clams & Clam Juice)

1. 1
   Soak the clams in cold salted water for up to 2 hours to purge sand. Discard any with cracked shells. If any are open, tap or squeeze them — if they do not close, discard.

   Tip: Use Mediterranean sea salt in the soaking water. Do not soak for more than 2 hours.

   ~120 min
2. 2
   Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add smashed garlic cloves and parsley stems. Cook gently — do not brown the garlic.

   Tip: The parsley stems add great flavor to the clam cooking liquid and will be discarded later.

   ~2 min
3. 3
   Add a generous splash of white wine and a pinch of chili flakes. Add the clams. Bring to a boil, reduce slightly to burn off alcohol, then cover and steam. Remove clams immediately as they open — do not overcook. Discard any that remain closed.

   Tip: Watch closely — the clams open fast. Keep some shells on for plate decoration.

   ~8 min
4. 4
   Strain the cooking liquid through a very fine mesh strainer or chinois (double-strain if needed) to remove all sand. Reserve this clam juice — it is 'liquid gold'. Divide into two equal portions (approximately 6 oz each) for the two preparations.

   Tip: If you don't have a fine mesh strainer, use cheesecloth. Sand passes through everything else.

   ~5 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Chef Jean-Pierre

Pasta Clam Sauce | Chef Jean-Pierre

Watch on YouTube →