A fun twist on pasta and clams. The pasta shells fill with creamy sauce made from yellow cherry tomato sauce, which is sweeter than red sauce.
EQUIPMENT: large cast iron skillet, large pot
Pasta Shells with Clams in Creamy Yellow Tomato Sauce
Cuisine: ItalianDifficulty: AverageServings
2
servingsPrep time
5
minutesCooking time
40
minutesIngredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup small onion, minced
2 tablespoons minced garlic from a jar
1 jar 24 oz yellow tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
sea salt
1/2 lb medium pasta shells
2 lbs whole clams, fresh
.5 lbs fresh clam meat, chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan plus extra for garnish
freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
freshly ground black peppercorns
3 sprigs fresh basil
Directions
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add onion to skillet. Sauté until onion is translucent.
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add tomato sauce and cream to skillet. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened.
- While pasta sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salt and water to boil.
- Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Remove 1/2 cup of pasta water and set aside.
- Drain pasta.
- Add whole clams to tomato sauce and simmer until they have opened. Discard any that haven’t opened. Use a slotted spoon to transfer clams to a plate and set aside.
- Stir in clam meat.
- Toss cooked pasta in with tomato cream sauce.
- Add parmesan cheese to tomato cream sauce.
- Remove from heat.
- Reserve two large basil leaves of basil and Chiffonade cut.
- Stir in 3 sprigs basil and and let steep for 5 minutes. Discard basil.
- Drizzle in about 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water and simmer for a minute or two. Use additional pasta water if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Plate the pasta and tomato sauce. Scatter the chiffonade basil on top. Arrange the clams over.
- Serve with additional grated parmesan on top.
