Authentic home cooking from Italy, with US measurements.

Originally published on Cookpad Italy as Linguine con vongole e cicoria al sentore di alici

Linguine with Clams and Chicory with Anchovy Flavor

Name: Linguine with Clams and Chicory with Anchovy Flavor
Yield: Serves 4 servings
Ingredients: 2.2 lbs (1 kg) fresh littleneck clams; 14 oz (400 grams) linguine pasta; 2.2 lbs (1 kg) plum tomatoes (such as Piccadilly or Roma); 1.5 lbs (about 700 grams) chicory greens; 1 long fresh chili pepper; Fresh basil and oregano, to taste; as needed Extra-virgin olive oil,; 2 garlic cloves; 4 anchovy fillets

Tony Mazzanobile @tonyliebt_kocht

I've tried countless ways to make pasta dishes with clams. But I think this combination of clams and sautéed chicory with anchovies and garlic is my favorite. Try making it exactly as I do, and let me know what you think...

Tony Mazzanobile @tonyliebt_kocht

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Ingredients

Serves 4 servings

2.2 lbs (1 kg)fresh littleneck clams
14 oz (400 grams)linguine pasta
2.2 lbs (1 kg)plum tomatoes (such as Piccadilly or Roma)
1.5 lbs(about 700 grams) chicory greens
1long fresh chili pepper
Fresh basil and oregano, to taste
as neededExtra-virgin olive oil,
2garlic cloves
4anchovy fillets

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Steps

1

Clean the chicory. Cut only the most tender parts into 2–2.5 inch (5–6 cm) pieces. (Don't throw away the rest—you can eat it later simply dressed with olive oil.) Boil the chicory in salted water. Drain, but save the cooking water.
2

In a skillet, heat a swirl of olive oil with one garlic clove and the anchovy fillets. Let the anchovies melt, then add the chicory and sauté to flavor. Add a little of the reserved chicory cooking water. Set aside.
3

Wash the tomatoes. Score an X on the bottom of each. Bring a pot of water to a boil, turn off the heat, and immerse the tomatoes for no more than two minutes. Transfer them to a bowl of cold water. Peel them and remove the stem area.
4

In a skillet, heat a swirl of olive oil with one garlic clove and half the chili pepper (seeded and roughly chopped). Sauté, then add the tomatoes cut into large pieces and a sprig of basil. Season with salt.
5

Cook without letting it dry out (add a little chicory cooking water if needed), then add the chicory and mix well. Turn off the heat.
6

Now, prepare the clams. After rinsing them under running water, soak them in salted water with coarse salt for about two hours to purge. In a skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil with one garlic clove, a few sprigs of fresh oregano, and the remaining half of the chili pepper, chopped. Sauté, then add the clams (only those that are closed and healthy), add 1/2 cup (120 ml) water (or white wine if you prefer), and let them open.
7

As they open, remove them from the pan. Don't wait for all to open at once, or some will overcook. Shell the clams (reserve a few in the shell for garnish) and keep them covered with plastic wrap. Strain the clam liquid through a paper towel-lined strainer (to avoid any sand) and add it to the skillet with the tomatoes.
8

Cook the linguine in plenty of salted water. One minute before it's done, transfer it to the skillet and finish cooking, adding a little pasta water at a time. When done, add the clams, drizzle with a little raw olive oil, and toss everything together. Enjoy!