Some Kinda Good in the Neighborhood: Fresh Pasta and Clams

Some Kinda Good in the Neighborhood

by Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser

Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is the author of the best-selling memoir “Some Kinda Good.” Featured in Forbes, on Food Network and ABC, she writes about Southern, coastal cuisine, locally sourced and in-season. Connect with her on social media by liking Some Kinda Good on Facebook, or follow @SKGFoodBlog on Instagram and Twitter. To learn more, visit RebekahLingenfelser.com.

Fresh Pasta with Clams

Another summer has come and gone, and as we bid farewell to gardening season, we welcome fall with all its comforts: sweaters and boots, pumpkin spice lattes and apple crisps. The freshness of a new season gives me so much energy and I love pulling out my fall decorations and getting in the spirit of things.

My farm bag this month comes from Billy’s Botanicals, a local, organic and sustainable farm out of Richmond Hill that raises and harvests fresh fish, fruits, herbs and vegetables. Delivered directly to my front door, the bag included Frali Gourmet pasta and Sapelo Sea Farms Littleneck Clams, and it didn’t take me long to figure out what to make for dinner. Bright orange tomatoes, green zucchini and a variety of lettuces, fresh herbs and sprouts were also included.

Linguine with clams in a garlicky white wine sauce is a classic Italian dish. Easy and elegant, it comes together in minutes and only requires a few ingredients. Using the lettuce varieties, I made a simple salad with the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella to round out the meal. To let the tomatoes really shine, I featured them in an appetizer of bruschetta, garnished with sprouts. It was a Some Kinda Good dinner for two.

Now unlike dried pasta, fresh pasta only takes 3 - 4 minutes to boil, and it’s ready. Also, if you’ve never worked with clams, just remember to set them in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes or so to extract any sand from the shells before cooking. If you forget this step, a little grit never hurt anyone.

Visit somekindagood.com for more local, in-season recipes, and don’t forget to shop your local farmers’ markets for the freshest ingredients around.

Kosher salt

1 pound linguine or angel hair pasta

Extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 pounds Littleneck clams (40 to 45), scrubbed

½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a large pot over high heat, bring heavily salted water to a boil. Add the fresh pasta and cook for three minutes, until almost al dente (the pasta should still be firm to the bite, as it will continue cooking in the sauce).

Meanwhile, in a very large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the onions and garlic and sauté just until golden, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, clams, and 1/4 cup of the parsley; bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until the clams open, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened clams.

Reserve a 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta into the saute pan with the clams, adding in reserved water. Increase the heat to medium and cook the pasta with the clams, tossing occasionally, until the pasta absorbs most of the sauce and is just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Add the butter, lemon zest, juice, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley; toss to coat. Taste and adjustthe seasoning with more salt, lemon zest or juice, as needed. Enjoy!