C'lamity or ... Pasta with Clam Sauce

I adapted this recipe from one I found on a blog called the Arugula Files and used some tips that came along with my steamer pot to switch it up a bit. Instead of bringing the clams to a boil with the white wine, butter and olive oil, I used the steamer pot to steam them above white wine, water, and parsley.

I read everywhere that it is important to remove the clams as they pop open, and to discard any clams that don't open after 10 minutes.  Nowhere though did it say just how "open" the clams are supposed to be. After 10 minutes of steaming, I removed all of the damn clams from heat. A bunch of them had popped open ever so slightly, and about 5 remained entirely clamped shut.

I was nervous about eating them, and rightfully so. While it didn't turn out to be the worst night of my life, and definitely didn't stop me from eating an enormous sausage and peppers sandwich at the San Gennaro festival the next evening, I felt pretty awful about 2 hours after eating the clams. The boy ate them, and was fine, so who really knows exactly what the culprit was.  Regardless, the recipe was delicious and I'd consider giving it another go... some time down the road.

**The clams came from The Lobster Place in Chelsea Market, 49 cents each. This place is amazing if you ever have time to wander over there. I blame only myself for my ill-fated clam cooking. 

Ingredients

For the steaming liquid:

1 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup water
5 sprigs parsley
2 shallots, chopped

30 littleneck clams
1/4 cup dry white wine, plus more to taste
3/4 pound angel hair pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook angel hair pasta according to instructions. 

2. In a steamer pot ... or in a pot with a steaming basket ... bring 1 cup white wine, 3/4 cup water, chopped shallots and parsley sprigs to a boil.

3. Place clams in steaming basket and cover over medium-high heat. Begin checking clams after 5 minutes and remove clams as they pop open. After 10 minutes of steaming, discard any clams that do not open and remove all clams that have opened.

4. Drain pasta and add parsley, basil, garlic, olive oil, white wine, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Add clams either in the shell, or remove from shell and add to pasta.

5. You can also add some of the steaming liquid, which will contain some juices from the clams.


Alright, which one of you suckers made me sick?

See how they only popped open a little bit? Can someone please tell me what was really supposed to happen?  

Steaming liquid:

Meanwhile ... Keeper dabbles in women's fashion:

And Chubs attempts to be inconspicuous: