Capellini and White Clam Sauce

This is one of my favorite dishes. Perfect for a weeknight and the only seafood dish I can cook for myself, this is a treat that I try and enjoy one a month. The recipe calls for 2 cans of minced clams, but I usually use 1 can minced and 1 can chopped. Before you scoff at canned clams - they are delicious and a lot less work than buying, scrubbing and cooking whole fresh clams.

If you insist on using fresh, you need to buy a bottle of clam juice to add to the sauce. When it is time to add the clams, you will need to turn the heat up a bit and put a lid on the pan. Steam in the sauce until ALL the clams have opened.

Capellini and White Clam Sauce
From Nancy Sparks Frank (Mom)
Yields 3 servings

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons oil, olive
2/3 Cups wine, white
13 Ounce(wt)s clams, canned minced (reserve juice)
1 Teaspoon basil, dried
6 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
1/4 Cup parsley, curly chopped
3/4 pound pasta, capellini

In a medium skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add clam juice and wine. Add basil. Let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until basil is softened. Add minced garlic. Turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add clams, heat through.

Cook pasta as desired.

Add parsley to the sauce, stir and serve over cooked pasta.