Spaghetti with Clams
and Braised Greens
TOTAL 45 MIN; SERVES 4
To give spaghetti with fresh
clam sauce more flavor, puree
roasted bell peppers into the
spicy broth.
1 /^2 cup extra-virgin olive
oil, divided
8 garlic cloves, crushed,
divided
48 littleneck clams,
scrubbed
2 cups dry white wine
2 jarred roasted red
peppers, drained
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 lb. Swiss chard or
collard greens,
stemmed and chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black
pepper
1 / 2 lb. uncooked spaghetti
2 oz. Parmigiano-
Reggiano cheese,
grated (about^1 / 2 cup),
plus more for serving
2 Tbsp. cold unsalted
butter, cubed
1 tsp. lemon zest plus 1
Tbsp. fresh lemon juice- Heat^1 / 4 cup oil in a large pot
over medium. Add 4 garlic
cloves; cook, stirring occa-
sionally, 1 minute. Stir in
clams. Add wine, and bring to
a boil over medium-high.
Cover and cook, stirring occa-
sionally, until clams open, 5 to
7 minutes. As clams open,
transfer them to a baking
sheet. Discard any clams that
do not open. Pour cooking
liquid through a wire-mesh
strainer into a blender. Add
roasted red peppers; puree
until smooth.- Wash pot. Add remaining
(^1) / 4 cup oil, and heat over
medium. Add remaining
4 garlic cloves, and cook,
stirring, 1 minute. Stir in
crushed red pepper. Working
in batches, add Swiss chard,
cooking until wilted before
adding more, about 3 minutes
per batch. Stir in roasted
pepper mixture; season with
salt and black pepper.
- Cook spaghetti in a large
pot of salted boiling water
according to package direc-
tions for al dente; drain. Add
pasta, cheese, butter, and
zest and juice to chard
mixture. Add clams; toss
until heated through. Divide
pasta mixture among
shallow serving bowls;
garnish with cheese.
—ASHLEY CHRISTENSEN