Alex Guarnaschelli's Plant-Based Rotini Pasta With Clams, Garlic, and Fresh Parsley
Ingredients:
36 Littleneck or Manila clams, (about 3 pounds, thoroughly cleaned)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 box (12 ounces) ZENB Rotini Pasta
12 sprigs (about 3/4 cup) flat-leaf parsley leaves, stemmed
Directions:
- The Clams: Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the clams in a single layer with the white wine vinegar and bay leaf and cook until the clams open, about 5-8 minutes. (Be patient.)
- Use a pair of metal tongs to remove the clams as they open and reserve the cooked clams in a large bowl.
- Shell all but about 16 of the clams and strain the clam cooking liquid through a fine mesh sieve. Reserve the liquid and discard the bay leaf.
- The Sauce: In a large skillet, combine the butter and garlic with a pinch salt over medium heat until the garlic becomes translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and simmer over medium low heat until they break down a little, about 3-5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
- The Pasta: In a large pot, bring four quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous amount of salt. (Again, the pasta water should taste like sea water.)
- Add the Rotini pasta to the pot and stir so it doesn't stick to the bottom as it cooks. Cook the pasta until "al dente," chewy but not hard or raw tasting, about 6-8 minutes.
- Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water just in case and drain the rest in a colander.
- Next, add the Rotini, parsley, and all of the clams and reserved clam liquid to the sauce. If the dish needs a little more liquid, stir in some of the reserved pasta water. Taste for seasoning.
- Spoon the pasta with some of the clams and sauce into individual serving bowls. Top each with a few of the clams that are still in the shells for presentation and enjoy!
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
ZENB Rotini Pasta (Box of 6) ($30)
Image Source: zenb.com