I love fresh homemade pasta. The taste is so above anything you will buy in the store, that it is well worth the bit of extra time it takes to make it. I’m still in search of my go-to pasta dough recipe, so this gave me another chance to try yet another one! Keeping in theme with my recent Cooking Light recipe kick, and I came across a recipe for Linguine with Clam Sauce. Below is the recipe I used for the pasta dough as well as the dish. Both turned out wonderfully – 2 thumbs up at our house!
Basic Pasta Dough, about 1 pound of pasta, Adapted from Jam it, Pickle it, Cure it, by Karen Solomon
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
In a large bowl, mix 3 cups flour and the salt. Shape a deep well in the middle of the flour; it should look like a white volcano. In another bowl, beat the eggs, then beat in the oil. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the center of the flour, stirring it into the flour. Keep incorporating the eggs into the flour until the mixture gets too stiff to mix with a fork. Switch to your hands and add enough flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to mix it together into a sticky dough.
Once your dough has come together, turn it out onto a well-floured work surface. Work the dough by pushing the sides into the middle, then bringing the bottom over the top and down, in a repetitive motion. With a steady flow of motion, this should take 8 to 10 minutes of kneading. You’ll know it’s ready when the dough feels somewhat elastic and it no longer cracks and crumbles while being handled. It will also take on a bit of a subtle shine.
Dampen a clean kitchen towel and wrap the dough in the towel. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Unwrap the dough and, with a scraper or a knife, cut it into equal quarters. Roll the first piece into a ball, flatten it with your hands, then roll it out into a 12-inch square about 1/8 inch thick. Keeping the work surface and rolling pin well floured. You can also run it through pasta maker or mixer attachment for pasta. Then cut with a pizza cutter to make linguine.
Linguine with Clam Sauce, yields 6 – 1 1/3 cup servings of pasta & 6 clams
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup clam juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 dozen littleneck clams
- 8 cups hot cooked linguine (about 1 pound uncooked pasta)
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Stir in clam juice and next 5 ingredients (clam juice through clams). Cover and cook 10 minutes or until clams open.
Place pasta in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil; toss well to coat. Add clam mixture to pasta; toss well.
