Serves

4–6 people

Ingredients

• 1½ lb linguini
• 3 dozen fresh clams (littleneck or cherrystone), scrubbed
• 1 cup bottled clam juice (plus reserved clam liquid)
• 2 anchovy fillets, minced (or 1 tsp anchovy paste)
• ½–1 tsp fish sauce (optional but excellent)
• ½–1 tsp chili pepper flakes (to taste)
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 5–6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1½ cups crushed plum tomatoes
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Zest + juice of ½ lemon
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Open the Clams

1. Heat a wide pot over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil.
2. Add clams and ½ cup white wine.
3. Cover and steam 5–7 minutes, shaking occasionally, until clams open.
4. Remove clams as they open; discard any that stay shut.
5. Strain the steaming liquid through a fine sieve or coffee filter.

Reserve 1 cup.

1. Once cool, remove clams from shells and roughly chop. Set aside.

2. Build the Sauce

1. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low.
2. Add anchovy; cook until it melts into the oil.
3. Add onion and chili flakes. Sweat gently 6–8 minutes until soft (no browning).
4. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Deglaze with remaining white wine; reduce by half.
6. Stir in crushed plum tomatoes, bottled clam juice, and reserved clam liquid.
7. Simmer gently 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened.

3. Season & Finish

1. Stir in chopped clams.
2. Add fish sauce (just a few drops) and black pepper.
3. Simmer 3–5 minutes—do not overcook clams.
4. Taste and adjust heat, salt (you won’t need much), and acidity.

4. Pasta & Assembly

1. Cook linguini in well-salted water until just shy of al dente.
2. Transfer pasta directly into sauce with ½ cup pasta water.
3. Toss over medium heat 1–2 minutes until glossy and emulsified.
4. Finish with lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley.
5. Drizzle with high-quality olive oil.

Pro Tips (This Is the Good Stuff)

• Anchovy + fish sauce = deep umami without “fishiness”
• Keep sauce looser than you think—linguini absorbs liquid fast
• Want more body? Add ½ tbsp tomato paste with the anchovy
• No cheese. Ever. 🚫🧀