Chef John's Spaghetti with Red Clam Sauce

This is one of my 'go to' recipes and it takes only about 15 minutes from start to finish. The only prep work really is mashing the garlic. The sauce is great on any pasta, but I prefer angel hair or spaghetti.

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

Ingredients

• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 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

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Pour olive oil into cold skillet. Add garlic, capers, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes. Place over medium heat and cook and stir until the oil is infused with the flavors of the mixture, about 5 minutes, taking care not to brown the garlic. Add tomato sauce and rinse jar with 1/4 cup water; add water to skillet. Pour in wine and juice from clams, reserving the 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 almost al dente, or about 1 minute less than directed on package. Drain. Return pasta to the pot off heat.

Step 3

Stir clams into the sauce. Pour sauce over pasta. Stir; cover the pot to allow it to finish cooking off heat and to allow the pasta will absorb some of the sauce, about 3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Top with chopped fresh basil and/or parsley.