C L A M SB OT T A R G A

B R E A D C R U M B S

C L A M S , B OT T A R G AB R E A D C R U M B S

T H E F E AS T of the Seven Fishes is an Italian celebration of Christmas Eve featuring, you guessed it, seafood! For our December Pasta of the Month, we are featuring a very Sicilian seafood dish — Spaghetti with Clams, Breadcrumbs and Bottarga.

What makes this pasta Sicilian? The breadcrumbs and bottarga do. Breadcrumbs are often used in Sicilian cooking as a garnish to pastas and pizzas. While it may seem odd to add carbs to your carbs, breadcrumbs create an amazing textural contrast when paired with chewier doughs like pastas and pizzas. As a flavor accent and lightly administered, you have nothing to fear health-wise from a little breadcrumb flavor dusting.

DESIGN & PHOTO CREDITS:Photography and design by Elana Iaciofano. For more delicious recipes, food photography and culinary experiments from Elana, please check out her food blog: John and Elana Talk About Food: www.johnandelana.com

STRAND PASTASlike spaghetti, cappellini, bucatini and perciatelli are best paired with sauces that coat strands easily: tomato, marinara, pestos and oil-based sauces. Seafood also works well, but if you’re throwing in veggies, trim them to the width of the pasta. “Spaghetti” is a variation on the word “spago” meaning “cord” while “cappellini” means “fine hair”. “Bucatini” or “perciatelli” translates as “pierced through” because these strands are hollow.

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This is a cheese-less pasta dish!

WHAT? You heard me. Italians never pair cheese

and seafood, either because of taste or history and geography.

In the case of taste, many Italians feel that punchier cheese flavors overwhelm delicate fish.

The sea-faring towns of Italy that are known for fresh seafood are not close to the cheesy, mountainous regions. Back in the day when it was a little more difficult to get from place to place, you ate what was nearby, and if you couldn’t walk to get it, it wouldn’t be on your dish.

I first had this dish in Agrigento, Sicily, a city with ancient Greek temples,buzzing traffic and fierce seafood dishes. This isone of them.

it should be noted, that

cheese and seafood dishes

have been found, even in

Italy. You may get your wrist

slapped for adding parm to

your plate, or you may get

a knowing wink. Italians like

to break as many culinary

traditions as they create.

However,

is a salted and cured fish roe, usually from Tuna. If you can’t find it, you can leave it out of this recipe, but it adds a smokey-fish

Bottarga!

quality that complements the brinier, snappier clams as well as deepens the flavor of the tomatoes.

Piazza Armerina, Sicily

I N G R E D I E N T SSERVES 4-6

3 do

zen

little

neck clams

1 cup white wine

2 tablespoons fresh lemon

juice

2 cloves ofgarlic,crushed

2-3 tablespoons bottarga

1 lb Colavita Spaghetti

1 lb tomatoes, chopped

freshly ground

black pepper

sea salt

fresh basil& parsley

¼ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs

2 tspcrushed

red pepper

¼ cu

p plus 1 tablespoon

ColavitaExtra Virgin

Olive Oil

I N G R E D I E N T Singredient list goes here...

4P A S T A O F T H E M O N T H f r o m

I N S T R U C T I O N SFIRST toast the breadcrumbs. Heat 1 tablespoon of Colavita Olive Oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, a ¼ teaspoon salt and a little black pepper. Toss frequently as the breadcrumbs toast so that they don’t burn. In about 3 minutes, they will nicely brown and you can remove them from the heat, setting them aside in a small dish.

HEAT the rest of the Colavita Olive Oil in a larger skillet over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic cloves, the crushed red pepper and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper.

SIMMER the garlic for about 3 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and a ½ tsp salt. Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low, allow the tomatoes to break down and form a light sauce, about 12 minutes.

IN the meantime, bring a large stock pot filled with water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt and the Colavita Spaghetti and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.

ADD the clams to the tomatoes in the skillet along with the wine, lemon juice and half of the freshly chopped herbs. Cover the skillet and allow the clams to steam cook (their shells will open), about 6-8 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.

ADD the drained pasta and the bottarga to the tomatoes and clams and toss to combine. Add about ¼ cup of the pasta water (you can add more if the sauce seems dry) and cook for 2 more minutes.

SERVE immediately in separate dishes. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs on top, along with any remaining fresh herbs.

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