Dried marjoram, which is often included in seafood sauce.
Clam sauce is a popular topping for pasta, especially linguine. There is no one way to prepare it, which is one of the wonderful things about it: like so many Italian dishes, it is very flexible and can be adapted to many different tastes. When served with pasta, it’s also one of the most affordable meals you can make for yourself or the whole family.
Generally, there are two different types of clam sauce: red and white. The main difference between them is that the red one has tomato. Red Clam Sauce can be made with fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, pasta, or canned tomato sauce.
Clams.
When fresh clams are used, they are usually steamed, the shells are discarded, and the meat is used with the natural clam juice. Using fresh clams adds time, cost, and effort to making the sauce, and it’s perfectly acceptable to use canned or frozen clams. Some markets sell cooked canned seafood and most sell canned seafood that has been diced or diced. All three varieties are good, and some cooks combine two or three varieties when making large quantities. If using frozen clams, it is a good idea to also purchase a bottle of clam juice to add to the sauce.
Fresh basil leaves are often used to season seafood sauce.
Garlic and onion are standard ingredients in most clam sauces, and olive oil is the most popular oil choice. Sometimes other ingredients are also requested, the most popular being mushrooms and anchovies, fillets or pasta. If anchovy fillets are used, they will be cooked so that they dissolve in the oil; They should never be served whole. These ingredients are usually prepared before the clams are added; in fact, the clams are usually added last, just before serving.
Oregano is a classic ingredient in Italian cuisine.
Traditional Italian seasonings like oregano, basil, marjoram, and parsley are often used to make clam sauce. A touch of tarragon will give it a seaworthy flavor, and many recipes also call for small amounts of lemon juice. Cooks who want a spicier sauce add crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce in small amounts. If the sauce is too runny, it is acceptable to use flour in small amounts to thicken it.
Clam sauce can usually be prepared very quickly; in fact, it often takes longer to prepare the pasta than it does to cook the sauce. Some sauce recipes, however, are more involved, requiring wine, additional clam juice, or chicken broth as liquids, which must be cooked to properly blend the flavors. The red sauce can also take much longer if using whole fresh or canned tomatoes, as they must be cooked. However, if you use pasta or tomato sauce, they only add a few moments to the prep time. Clams require very little cooking time and should be added at the end of the sauce, just a few moments before serving.
Linguine is the irresistible choice of pasta in the preparation of clam sauce. It should be prepared al dente, that is, with a firm and chewy touch. Cooks can be very flexible when preparing linguine once cooked and drained, although most prefer to mix it with butter or oil, with just a touch of salt and pepper, before serving.
Some cooks prefer to mix the sauce with the linguine before serving it. Others serve both separately and allow their guests to serve themselves. Linguine with Clam Sauce should be served with grated or grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese, a fresh salad, and garlic bread.