Rhode Island Stuffies - cooking recipe

Ingredients

15 quahogs, shucked and then chopped
2 loaves Italian bread (day old bread)
2 tablespoons oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
paprika
margarine
1/2 lb portuguese chourice sausage (optional)

Preparation

Open quahogs, placing meat and juice in separate bowls. Save shells.
In a large bowl, break bread into small pieces and add enough quahog juice (clam juice) so bread is well moistened, but not soggy.
Add chopped quahogs (clams).
In a frying pan, add oil and saute onion, green pepper and garlic until soft, but not brown.
Add sauteed onion, green pepper, garlic, and crushed red pepper to bread mixture; mix well.
Wash shells and separate.
Mound shell halves with stuffing.
Sprinkle top with paprika and parsley.
Dot tops with a small amount of margarine.
Set in a pan and bake in preheated 375\u00b0F oven for about 25 minutes or until heated through.
OPTIONAL: You may add ground Chourice to onion while sauteing.