Pasta with White Clam Sauce

From EatingWell: January/February 1997 — Subscribe Now!

Here we toss a light clam sauce with whole-wheat pasta and top it with a vibrant combination of lemon zest, parsley and garlic.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This is an easy, wonderful recipe. It impresses people every time. "

8 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

Pasta with White Clam Sauce

2 heads garlic
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 tablespoon dried marjoram
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup dry white wine
3 6-ounce cans chopped clams, drained, juices reserved
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound whole-wheat linguine, or spaghetti
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons butter
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Gremolata

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Rub off excess papery skin from garlic heads without separating cloves, and slice about 1/2 inch off the top. Place each head on a square of foil (cut-end up). Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of water and pinch the edges of the foil together to make a package. Roast until cloves are very soft, 40 to 50 minutes. Unwrap and let cool slightly. Squeeze cloves out of skins into a small bowl; set aside.
Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add shallot and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add marjoram and crushed red pepper; cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add wine and bring to a boil. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until mixture has reduced to 1/4 cup, 10 to 14 minutes. (The wine will be nearly evaporated.) Reduce heat to low; add reserved clam juice and roasted garlic and whisk until smooth. Stir in clams and 1/4 cup parsley; heat gently over low heat. Keep sauce warm.
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions.
Meanwhile, make gremolata: combine 1/4 cup parsley, lemon zest and garlic clove; mix well.
Drain the pasta and transfer to a large, warm serving bowl. Stir lemon juice and butter into clam sauce, and pour over pasta. Toss gently, then sprinkle the gremolata over the top. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

Nutrition

Per serving: 288 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 15 mg cholesterol; 48 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 8 g fiber; 462 mg sodium; 213 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Fiber (30% daily value), Magnesium (22% dv), Iron (20% dv), Vitamin C (16% dv).

2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat