Orzo alle Vongole
Serves 4
60 mins prep
20 mins cook
80 mins total
A brothy seafood staple in southern Italian cuisine featuring orzo and beautifully briny clams.
If using fresh clams, soak them in cool salt water for an hour and then scrub and rinse them. Place them in a clean bowl and set aside until you are ready to steam them (if using frozen clams, steam them frozen, no need to thaw)
Bring 3 cups of stock to a simmer, add 8 ounces of orzo, cover and cook until tender (10-12 minutes)
Place a large pot over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 5 large finely minced garlic cloves and 4 anchovy fillets or a tablespoon of capers
Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently
As soon as the garlic is fragrant and the anchovies or capers are broken down, add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, a cup of white wine and the clams
Cover the pot and steam the clams until they open
As the clams open, transfer them into a bowl and keep the bowl covered with a towel to trap the heat inside (discard any clams that haven’t opened after about 8 minutes)
Once all of the clams have been transferred out of the pot, reduce the heat to medium low and add 8 ounces of clam juice, 2 tablespoons of butter and the cooked orzo
Remove most of the clams from their shells and add them into the pot (reserve some in the shell for garnishing)
Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges
Serve with crusty bread
