Food experiment #9: White clam sauce

In response to a request from Mom for a white sauce (non-tomato-based) for tonight's pasta dinner, I decided to make a white clam sauce. It turned out to be pretty good - rich yet not-too-heavy, suitably clam-tinged but not overwhelmingly fishy. The true test of whether a pasta dish (that's not spaghetti with giant meatballs) is a success in this household is whether Dad likes it. He ate three hefty helpings, so I'm thinking this recipe passed the test, with flying colors...


Pasta with White Clam Sauce (4 servings)

3 strips of bacon, cut into small pieces
1 tsp - 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil

6-8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 cans clams - I used 1 (6.5oz) can minced, 1 (6.5oz) can chopped, and 1 (10oz) whole clams, drained, liquid reserved
(optional) 1 additional can of minced clams
1 - 1 1/4 C light cream
1 package (1 lb) dried long pasta - I used thin spaghetti
Parmesan cheese for serving
ground black pepper, to taste

Place bacon directly in an unheated pan. Start cooking over medium-high heat, adding olive oil when the pan starts to get hot. When bacon pieces start to become crisp, add chopped onion and spices and saute over medium-high heat until onions have become soft and started to brown. Add garlic slices and cook just until fragrant, a couple of minutes.

Add the liquid from 3 cans of clams and simmer over low heat for about 10-12 minutes. Slowly and gradually stir in the light cream, and continue simmering over low heat for 20-25 minutes. (If sauce seems too thin after about 15 minutes, thoroughly combine flour with a small amount of cream and stir into the sauce.) Be careful not to let the sauce come to a boil! At this point, cook the pasta according to the box directions.

Season sauce with black pepper, if desired. Add the clams to the sauce and heat just until they are heated through. (If the clams are overcooked, they will become tough.) Serve sauce over the cooked pasta, with ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan cheese.