Pasta with Creamy White Clam Sauce

[Twitchin Kitten]

Again, this version of clam sauce and pasta comes from the Pacific Northwest. I make this all the time and its easy to make and absolutely delicious!

Pasta with Creamy White Clam Sauce

Ingredients:
4 pounds clams, steamed and chopped OR 2 cans minced clams (6 1/2 oz each)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
fistful of mushrooms chopped - optional
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp basil
1 cup clam nectar OR juice you reserve from the canned clams
3 cloves garlic chopped fine
1/4 cup dry white wine (use the good stuff!)
1 cup whipping cream
Salt & pepper to taste
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 pound spaghetti

If using fresh clams, steam them and remove the meat from the shells, reserving the nectar. Chop the clam meat. Save some of the nectar for this recipe and serve the remaining nectar in a cup with a bit of freshly ground black pepper on top.

Heat a frying pan and add the olive oil. Sauté the yellow onion, pepper and mushrooms until the onion is clear. Stir in the flour, parsley and basil and remove to a bowl.

Reheat the pan and add the clam juice or nectar along with the garlic and reduce by half. Add the wine and cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in the vegetables with a whip, stirring as they cook so that the mixture can thicken. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes to further reduce and thicken the sauce. Add the remaining seasonings, including the lemon juice. Stir in the clams and pour over the freshly cooked pasta.

Serve with a light salad and bread.