Japanese Style Noodles With Clams - cooking recipe

Ingredients

kosher salt
1 lb pasta (linguine or spaghetti)
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 lb shiitake mushroom, stemmed and sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 lb littleneck clams
2 tablespoons sake or 2 tablespoons mirin
soy sauce, to taste
1/4 cup nori, julienned (optional garnish)
2 green onions, sliced thin on the diagonal

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; cook pasta according to package directions; drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid.
Toss pasta with one tablespoon of the oil and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat; add mushrooms, pepper flakes, garlic, and cook, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
Add clams and sake or mirin, cover, and cook until shells open, about 5 minutes.
Add pasta and soy sauce, toss; add pasta liquid to reach desired consistency.
Transfer pasta and clams to serving bowls, garnish with nori and green onions; serve.