This clam and chorizo pasta sauce is lush and clings to the spaghetti perfectly. The combination of clams and spicy chorizo is a match made in heaven, the tomatoes lend brightness to the rich briny flavours.
There’s no slump that a really good bowl of pasta and a glass of wine can’t cure – this Clam/Pipis, chorizo and tomato pasta is so good, it has the punchy combination of flavours we should all be cooking. You’ll want to sit in silence and revel at the deliciousness of what you’ve just made!
In this clam and chorizo pasta, I have used a combination of fresh tomatoes as well as tomato paste. What this does is helps balance out the richness. You want to make sure to deeply caramelise the thick tomato paste, which will bring out its sweetness as well as deepen the flavour. The lightly softened tomatoes also add texture.
It is very important not to over-cook the clams. Make sure to only cook them for a few minutes covered to ensure they open up. Discard any unopened clams and remember to use the cooking liquid as it has so much of that ocean goodness. The sauce in this pasta will be lush and just coat the strands of spaghetti with a glossy sheen from the chorizo fat, which to me is what makes this dish special.
Clam Chorizo Pasta
Ingredients
- 200 gms Spaghetti (or any dry pasta of choice)
- 500 gms Clams (shell on)
- 1 Chorizo sausage
- 2 small Shallots (finely sliced)
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1/2 cup Tomatoes (finely chopped)
- 4 Garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Chilli flakes (adjust to spice level)
- 1/4 cup White wine
- 1 tbsp Parsley leaves (finely chopped)
- Water (to boil pasta and clams)
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Get a large pot of heavily salted water to boil so it is ready for the pasta to cook in when you need.
- Clean your clams thoroughly to get rid of any sand/grit. Add them to a pot along with a little water, cover and cook about 3-4 minutes until they open. You are not trying to cook them fully. Set aside.
- Chop up the chorizo sausage into bite sized pieces. Heat the olive oil in a pan. When hot, add the chorizo making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry on medium heat until it starts to render its fat and develops crusty golden edges. Drain and set aside.
- In the remaining olive oil and chorizo fat, add the thinly sliced shallots, garlic cloves and chilli flakes. Cook until they start to change colour.
- Add the tomato paste and cook until caramelised and develops a deep rich colour. Add the fresh tomatoes and coat with the sauce. Cook until softened.
- At this stage, cook the pasta as per pack instructions in salted boiling water until al dente. Save a cup of the pasta water and drain.
- Add the white wine and deglaze the pan. Reduce the sauce to less than half. Then add the clams and the chorizo into the pan to cook together.
- Add the drained pasta, pasta water as required to thicken the sauce and adjust seasoning as necessary. Garnish with fresh parsley.
For other delicious recipes from the blog, click here. If you make this recipe and love it, let me know in the comments below. If you are sharing on Instagram, please do tag me @rupalbhatikar.
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