Linguini With Red Clam Sauce (Linguini Con Le Vongole Al Sugo) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs littleneck clams, scrubbed well
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large shallot, minced
2 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped (preferably San Marzano)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
1 lb linguine
freshly chopped basil, for garnish

Preparation

A Neopolitan custom is to let the clams soak in very cold water with a tsp of salt and the juice of one lemon for about 1/2 hour.
This will remove any sand or grit in the clams.
This step is optional, but I do suggest that you at least scrub the outer shells of the littlenecks quite well with a vegetable brush.
Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil for the linguini.
In another pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat.
Add shallots and crushed red pepper and saute until shallots are softened.
Add chopped garlic and anchovies, and saute until anchovies begin to melt into the olive oil, careful not to let garlic get too dark.
Carefully add chopped tomatoes with their liquid.
Stir to combine, and add dried basil and oregano.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer sauce until ready to cook clams and linguini.
Add little neck clams to the simmering tomato sauce, stir to coat well, and cover.
While clams begin to steam in sauce, generously salt the boiling pasta water, add linguini, and cook until al dente, (about 7 minutes).
As clams begin to open, I remove them to a large bowl and cover, until pasta and remaining clams are cooked.
Drain pasta, and transfer to a serving bowl.
Top with tomato sauce and toss with chopped fresh basil.
Finally, add cooked clams over top the pasta, still in their shells.