Chef John's Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce Recipe

Prep Time::5 mins

Cook Time::15 mins

Total Time::20 mins

Servings::4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons capers

1 tablespoon anchovy paste

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (24 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce

¼ cup water

1 cup good-quality crisp white wine

2 (6.5 ounce) cans chopped clams, drained with juice reserved

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 pound dry spaghetti

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

fresh basil leaves or flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Pour olive oil into cold skillet. Add garlic, capers, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes. Place over medium heat; cook and stir until oil infused with flavors, about 5 minutes, taking care not to brown garlic. Add tomato sauce; rinse jar with 1/4 cup water and add to skillet. Add wine and juice from clams, reserving clams; bring to a simmer until slightly reduced and thickened, 7 to 9 minutes.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until nearly tender yet firm to the bite, about 1 minute less than directed on package for al dente. Drain. Return spaghetti to the pot off heat.

Stir in clams. Pour sauce over spaghetti; stir. Cover the pot; let sit, off heat, to allow spaghetti to absorb some sauce, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese; top with chopped fresh basil and/or parsley.

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