Clam Linguine with White Wine and Red Peppers

Why wouldn't the clam share his treasure?
Because he was a little shellfish.

 Sunday nights are typically family dinner at my husband's parent's house.  This week we volunteered to cook and give them a night off (which worked out, because the day before we made the mistake of going to Costco hungry and somehow came home with 5 lbs of littleneck clams!).

I decided to try my hand at some Clam Linguine with White Wine and Red Peppers.

Here's what you need for plenty of food for 6 people:
5 lbs of littleneck clams
1 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus 1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 box of linguine
2 beautiful red peppers
2 cloves of chopped garlic
1 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of clam juice
1/2 bunch of fresh Italian parsley
1-2 teaspoons of olive oil
1-2 lemons for squeezing



Optional:
simple side salads with mixed greens, cucumber, radish and balsamic
french bread for soaking up broth (really, this is not optional, just get it)

Get out your clams for cleaning (get the sand out, no one wants sandy pasta).

Start rinsing under COLD water.  Get in there, use your fingers and get the grit off.

Discard any cracked-open-or otherwise damaged clams.

Example of sand found in bowl. Toss that mess.

After first rinse, let clams soak in COLD water for 20 minutes.

Rinse again.  Sing "so fresh and so clean, clean" to help pass the time.

Keep a look out for those cracked up ones, and toss if found.

Soak for another 20 minutes a second time, add in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to help the clams filter out more sand.

Boil water.  Cook Linguine for 1 minute under al dente (firm but not hard).  Check box for time if you need.  I like to add a lil salt and olive oil to my pasta water so the noodles aren't lonely.

Slice peppers.

Get out 1 cup of dry white wine.  Then also, pour yourself a glass.

Pour 1 coup clam juice into wine (or use separate measuring cups if you are feelin' extra dirty).

Chop garlic (or drink your wine as your hubby chops it).

Chop 1/2 bunch Italian parsley (or drink wine as your hubby chops, he's just so much better at chopping sometimes).

Add 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil to another pan (get a big one...that's what she said...)

Add peppers.

Move'um around a bit.  Add some salt and pepper.

Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic.

Add 1 cup dry white wine and 1 cup clam juice.

Let reduced and cook down.  Add some more pepper to the peppers.  They like it.

Add clams.

Let'um cook for 6 minutes.

Discard any unopen clams.  Mmmm....steamy.

Add past and 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Juice up some lemon.

Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, and some of the chopped parsley.  Mix.  Taste.  Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Plate up.  Add rest of chopped parsley.  Get some french bread on the side.  Eat.