Saturday, April 20, 2013

Dinner in Five – Pasta with Clam Sauce

Coming in June!
by Peg Cochran


It seems we’re all busy these days—earlier in the week Lucy shared a chicken recipe that was easy to put together and get into the oven.  This dinner will take a little more than five minutes but not much more, and it’s delicious. It’s a “pantry meal” if you keep the ingredients (except for the fresh parsley) in your pantry. Obviously nothing compares to a sauce made with fresh clams but this is a good, inexpensive and quick substitute.  (Hint:  I’ve made this without the parsley when I didn’t have any, and it was still good.)


1/3 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves pressed or minced
2 cans chopped clams (6.5 ounces)
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 lb. spaghetti


Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook until garlic turns golden.  Be careful—garlic can burn quickly and turn bitter.

Once garlic is golden, add 2 cans of clams and their juice. Heat through.

Cook spaghetti according to directions and top with sauce.
Italians don’t believe in putting parmesan cheese on pasta with a fish sauce, but we like it with some grated parmesan anyway!


Just a few simple ingredients and you have dinner.


Enjoy!



Tasty enough for company


10 comments:

  1. Wow, does this look easy. It's nearly midnight, and you have me craving pasta.

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  2. Watch out Pattie:), she makes it look too easy doesn't she?

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  3. Oh yeah, quick and easy is good. And it's smart to keep some basic ingredients on hand, just in case.

    Sometimes when I open my food closet (yes, it is a closet) I feel like I'm on Chopped. Let's see, I have coconut oil, quince paste, and jalapenos. What can I make?

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  4. Pattie, is really is that easy! Sheila, I know what you mean. Sometimes I REFUSE to go to the grocery store. The other night I was able to make lentil soup with the ingredients on hand!

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  5. Speedy and tasty. Yum. My husband won't do clams, but I will. And I can do this easily on gluten-free pasta. Lovely, Peg!

    Daryl / Avery

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  6. A fast favorite in our house, too. Pantry to the rescue!

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  7. I make mine very similar, except I don't use as much olive oil, I just brown a little garlic in the oil and I use about one fourth cup of clam juice. And I serve it with some fresh steamed little neck clams in the shell on top. I made it last night....yum!

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  8. I love this week of speedy dinners! Lovely recipe, Peg. And at our house, Parmesan goes on everything. Well, maybe not cereal.

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  9. Annette, I often cut down on the olive oil, too, and find it turns out fine--you can get by with 1/4 cup and it's still good!

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  10. A friend of mine used to make this. It was delicious! Must keep clams on hand from now on. I need speedy dinners!

    ~Krista

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