Spicy Clam Pasta With Bacon, Peas and Basil Recipe (2024)

I strongly recommend against cooking the canned clams for more than a few seconds, just long enough to heat them thru, anything else will turn them into inedible rubber. It seems a lot of recipes using canned clams might have been adapted from fresh clam recipes, without adjusting the cooking time. It's best to rinse canned clams thoroughly and toss the liquid; canned clams can often be gritty, much of which stays in the liquid and will become part of your dinner if you include the liquid.

If I were fortunate enough to get my hands on fresh clams, how much would I buy to feed 4? 1 lb.? 2?

Who can recommend a good canned clam?

Cento brand

No, reserve it to the end, and instead of adding a splash of water from pasta cooking, use the clam juice. Add it all, and then cook the combined pasta and sauce down until it absorbs all the juice. That's how it's done for various pastas in Calabria and other provinces in the south of Italy.

Wow! Made this tonight and it was very well received. I used my garden grown basil and parsley for the pesto-type sauce. Cooked the canned clams (an adjustment a la Covid) for just 30 seconds and added the clam juice rather than pasta water. Simple, easy and will make many times in the future.

I suggest at least one pound of hardshell clams per person for the recipe. Only a few ounces of clam meat is attainable per pound of whole clams. Saving the clam juice is of course very important, that is where the flavor is...

I upped the garlic in the pesto and added a splash of white wine to the sautéing clams and pepper. Market didn’t have Serrano chile but jalapeño worked fine. Next time I’d add more peas. The lemon added a nice brightness. Quite good - worth making again.

I use Snow’s canned clams and have always been happy with them.

My fish monger was out of canned whole clams (Bar Harbor from Maine) so he offered me frozen clam meats - never knew they existed - the package says "better than canned." They were good and almost as easy to keep on hand. This dish was delicious, would be even if you have no clams.

I just made this, oh my it’s good. I used pesto, finely chopped a bunch of parsley. Drained the clams, rinsed them, saved and strained the juice (you Could also just buy clam sauce). Cooked the bacon, barely coated the clams wBacon fixins & red pepper, pulled them, threw spinach In same pot (no peas on hand). When pasta was al dente, Drained, then added small hunk of butter, bacon and clams and clam juice, stirred until most of the liquid was gone, Added pesto and chopped parsley last. Divine

I would use guanciale, if you can get it. Bacon and pancetta are good but guanciale is amazing.

Fresh clams are usually sold by the Dozen. I would get two dozen for 6 each. Depending on how much Everyone likes clams.

Sun-dried tomatoes.

panchetta (sp?), Canadian bacon,...smoked dry spice--paprika or chipotle

Cut down the amount of pasta.Added double the peas.Omitted the bacon.Very good

I also did not think this was a great combo of flavors. Also bland

The combination of flavors in this dish were so repugnant together- especially basil and canned clams- we could not eat it and had to make an alternative meal. A rare dud in the NYT recipes.

Bar Harbor is a brand of canned clams I've always been happy with--I use them in chowder too.

Some higher end groceries (like Whole Foods) carry tubs of frozen clams. Much better quality and a lot less salt than canned. We used those.

Maybe I did something wrong but it was very bland.

Agree with those who said the ratio of pasta to "stuff" is off. Made it tonight with 1/2 lb pasta, but all other ingredients except for just 1 can clams. Used 1/2C homemade pesto, 5 ozs bacon, 1/2 serrano & 1C fresh peas from my garden which I added to the sauté of peppers for ~2 mins. Added clams for 30 seconds just to warm up. Then added pasta & some reserved clam juice. Tasted ok - wouldn't rave about it though.

We liked the herbaceous parsley-basil purée and the slight bite of the Serrano pepper. We’ll make this one again.

If you want clam broth in any recipe, get a good quality bottled clam broth. Don't use the liquid from canned clams.

Finish with toasted bread crumbs and grated parmesan atop your pasta for blissful eating!

I would dig a bucket of clams. scrub, dip them in boiling water to crack open and when the shell opens save the juice in a deep jar and dip the shucked clam to get the last of it's sand off it. Freeze the clams and let the jar settle. Then pour off clear juice and save. Chop slightly frozen clams. Cook pasta. simmer juice with lots of garlic, chopped, basil and bit of oregano. When the juice has boiled down enough add the clams.Cook until just opaque. Add to pasta. Let rest 2 minutes. Enjoy.

Changed the clams to cubed halibut, and was delicious. We make this frequently.

Thank you for the recipe. I would suggest adding just a couple tablespoons of dry vermouth when you mix the clams. It brightens the whole dish nicely.

Add a little more garlic and more pepper(could have used more heat). Added a little clan juice with pasta. Very good.

reduce bacon to 3 slicesincrease peas to 1.5 cupsno serrano neededsmall pinch of pepper flakes