27 September 2007 
It’s been a dreary week for us here in South Florida. Early mornings begin soaking wet and seem to continue the same pattern for the rest of the day. This may be okay for folks in Norway or our Brit friends across the pond, but, for delegates of the Sunshine State, endless drizzle mixed with downpour doesn’t sit well. On the other hand, there is something downright comforting about rainy days (when you aren’t caught in the midst of it with a broken umbrella). Nature’s wrath begs us to seek shelter and suddenly, the confines of our home instantly becomes more inviting. Inside we are dry and safe and eating a good meal tastes even more delicious.I always crave carbs when it rains. Maybe it’s my caveman instinct of hunkering down that calls upon carbohydrates to give me the energy to ride out the storm. Or maybe it’s just that I love pasta so much that I will find any plausible excuse to eat it (caveman instinct is a bit of a reach, I admit.) Since I am not nearly as committed to my exercise regime as I am to my culinary drive, I like to compromise with a seafood pasta dish that is fast, delicious and light. That way, even if a torrential downpour (or occasional drizzle) prevents me from driving to my sheltered gym (slick roads would make it too dangerous, I conclude), I won’t have the guilt of slurping up pasta with loads of creamy calories. Enter linguine alla vongole. Vongole is Italian for small clam. When I say vongole, I refer to white vongole. Red vongole is its red counterpart and entails a thick tomato-based sauce that can easily swallow up this mollusk’s delicate flavor. White vongole, however, is all about the clams. The trick to this dish is all in its simplicity and freshness. The fresher the ingredients, the better. This is one of those tell tale dishes I always order at restaurants to see if they get a thumbs up or not. Making a vongole sauce properly is the sign of a sure winner. Follow this simple recipe and you’ll be getting thumbs up with a smile.
Linguine Alla Vongole (Linguine in Clam Sauce)
(from Mark Bittman)
1 dozen littlenecks or other hard-shell clams
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste1 tablespoon butter2/3 lbs linguine
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Wash and scrub clams well, then dry them.
Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crushed garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is lightly browned. Add clams, stir briefly and cover.
Put pasta in boiling water and cook.
Check the clams every minute or two. When the first one pops open (it takes only a few minutes) remove the cover and add the wine. Continue to cook over medium-high heat, shaking the pan. When most of the clams are open, add the parsley, minced garlic, and salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and add butter.
Drain the pasta when it is done, put it in a warm bowl, and top with the clams and sauce. If any clams remain closed, open with a knife.
Serves 2
