Chef John's Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce

This quick and easy red clam sauce is ready to serve in about 15 minutes. The sauce is great on any pasta, but Chef John's preference is angel hair or spaghetti.

• Preparation Time: 5 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Calories: 852 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
• 1 pound dry spaghetti
• 1 (24 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce
• 1 cup good-quality crisp white wine
• 2 (6.5 ounce) cans chopped clams, drained with juice reserved
• Chopped fresh basil leaves or parsley
• 0.25 cup water
• 0.25 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Pour olive oil into cold skillet. Add garlic, capers, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes. Place over medium heat; cook and stir until oil infused with flavors, about 5 minutes, taking care not to brown garlic. Add tomato sauce; rinse jar with 1/4 cup water and add to skillet. Add wine and juice from clams, reserving clams; bring to a simmer until slightly reduced and thickened, 7 to 9 minutes.

Step 2

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until nearly tender yet firm to the bite, about 1 minute less than directed on package for al dente. Drain. Return spaghetti to the pot off heat.

Step 3

Stir in clams. Pour sauce over spaghetti; stir. Cover the pot; let sit, off heat, to allow spaghetti to absorb some sauce, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese; top with chopped fresh basil and/or parsley.