Ingredients

5 cloves garlic
1 medium or 2 small shallots
1 lemon, juiced
½ cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine
2 (10-ounce) or 3 (6.5-ounce) cans of chopped clams in juice
8 ounces of dried linguine pasta
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.
Finely chop the garlic and shallots (about 1/4 cup), and place both in the same small bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a deep 12-inch frying pan over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add 1 cup dry white wine and cook until the liquid is reduced by half about 3 minutes.

Using a strainer over a bowl, empty the cans of clams. Add the liquid to the skillet.

Reserve the clams for later. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate the oil into the broth fully. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer while you cook the pasta.

Add 8 ounces of dried linguine pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions for al dente, about 7 minutes.

Using a skinner or tongs, transfer the linguine directly into the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, tossing the pasta often, for 4 minutes. If the pan is dry, add the pasta water a tablespoon at a time as needed. Add the reserved clams and gently toss until fully combined and the clams are just warmed through (do not overcook), about 2 minutes more.

 

Remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze the juice from the lemon over the pasta. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and the parsley. Stir and toss vigorously until the butter is melted and the parsley is evenly distributed.

Serve this dish with a salad made of mixed greens, shaved Parmesan cheese, and Italian dressing.