Pacific Cloudy Bay Clams vongole pasta

Name: Pacific Cloudy Bay Clams vongole pasta
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 Red onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced; 2 Tbsp Fresh ginger, chopped; 4 cloves Garlic, peeled and sliced; 1 Red chilli, sliced, use more or less to taste; 2 Tbsp Olive oil; 600 ml Coconut milk; 400 g Pasta, dried, use any shape, or a mixture (Main); 2 kgs Clams, in their shells, washed and de-gritted (Main); 6 Tomatoes, ripe, diced; seeds and juice included (Main); 1 handful Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, coarsely shredded; 2 handfuls Coriander, on the stalk, cut into 3cm lengths

for 4 people

Emma Pascoe

Peter Gordon

Chef, restauranteur and author

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This recipe feeds 6 as a starter or 4 as a main course. You can increase the amount of pasta to bulk this up.

Ingredients

2	Red onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp	Fresh ginger, chopped
4 cloves	Garlic, peeled and sliced
1	Red chilli, sliced, use more or less to taste
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
600 ml	Coconut milk
400 g	Pasta, dried, use any shape, or a mixture (Main)
2 kgs	Clams, in their shells, washed and de-gritted (Main)
6	Tomatoes, ripe, diced; seeds and juice included (Main)
1 handful	Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, coarsely shredded
2 handfuls	Coriander, on the stalk, cut into 3cm lengths

Directions

Caramelise the onions, ginger, garlic and chilli in the oil in a large, wide pot with 1 tsp flaky salt. Cook until nice and golden, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil, salted generously, for the pasta.
Add the coconut milk to the onions and bring to a simmer. Put a lid on the pot and cook 5 minutes.
Cook the pasta until just al dente, then drain into a colander. Don't refresh, just leave it be.
Bring the coconut broth to the boil and mix in the clams.
Cook on high heat with a lid on the pot, stirring from time to time, until all clams are open. This should take 5-8 minutes, depending on their size, and the size of your pot. A large wide pot will let them cook more quickly. If you're cooking various sized clams, add the largest first and the smallest last — allowing a few extra minutes for larger clams.
Discard any clams that don't open.
Meanwhile, mix half the tomatoes with parsley and ¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper to make a salsa.
Add the remaining tomatoes and the cooked pasta to the pot and gently mix it all together.
Cook another 20 seconds, then taste for seasoning.
Ladle the clams and pasta into six pre-heated bowls.
Spoon on the tomato salsa, then scatter with the coriander.
Serve with a bowl for people to put their shells in, and make sure you serve with a soup spoon so people can drink the broth.