Linguine with Clams Casino.

If you are in need of a last minute Valentine’s Day dinner, I have just the ticket.

And if you’ve already celebrated or are going out to eat, I must convince you to make this as soon as you’re back in the kitchen.

It’s easy.

It’s inexpensive.

It’s fast.

It’s mouth watering.

Get some little clams, even if they freak you out. Trust me, I’d rather have the real stuff, but for some reason I don’t quite have access to that in Pennsylvania. I wonder why?

I’ve never been good at geography.

What we have here is a twist on linguine with clam sauce and clams casino. Two of my favorite things. Obviously.

My mom used to make linguine with clam sauce when I was growing up, and I think she went through a big linguine and clam sauce phase in the 60s and 70s. It seemed to be popular then, didn’t it? If she wasn’t making fondue, she was making linguine with clam sauce. I envision her cooking it for friends while wearing bell bottoms and paisley prints. I’m afraid to think about where the night went after that since they were “into the arts” in the 60s and 70s. Whatever that means.

The clams casino inspiration comes from every summer at the beach, when my dad and uncle make a giant seafood feast consisting of beer-battered fish, beer-braised scallops, clams casino and so much more.

Oh summer… where art thou?

A seafood dish isn’t a seafood dish without wine.

Don’t forget to pour yourself a glass. That’s the most important part of the recipe!

Ah.. my old friend.

You’re doomed.

Crispy bacon adds so much to a pasta dish. To say this linguine is bursting with flavor would be an understatement. White wine, sauteed onions, garlic, clams, bacon, parmesan…

There isn’t much more I want out of life.

Except I sort of want a puppy too. Mr. How Sweet isn’t game though. He says I have to have a goldfish first, and it has to survive for an entire year. Like… an entire year STRAIGHT. Then I can move on to a hamster. Then a guinea pig. Then a cat. Then a purse-sized dog. Then a medium dog. Then maybe… a large dog. Which is the kind of dog I want. And I have to have all of these before I can even consider How Sweet spawns.

Though when it comes down to it, I really don’t want a dog at all, because I can’t even take care of myself. There are dishes piled to the ceiling in our kitchen, clothes covering our entire bedroom floor, cobwebs in every corner, Christmas decorations hanging out in the living room, and well… I just can’t be bothered to get up in the middle of the night.

But I still tried to bribe Mr. How Sweet with the linguine. I think it sort of worked.

I gotta tell you… I think this is my favorite pasta dish to date. Also my favorite current dinner. Mr. How Sweet and I ate it like it was going out of style. And then we ate more.

I promise you won’t be disappointed. 

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Clams Casino Linguine

serves 3-4

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped red peppers

1/2 cup chopped onions

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans minced clams in clam juice, 13 ounces total

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons butter

2 slices bacon, fried and crumbled

1/2 pound whole wheat linguine

1/4 cup parmesan cheese + more for garnish

freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Boil a pot of water for pasta and cook according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Add chopped onions and peppers with a pinch of salt and saute until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in both cans of clams + juice and bring the mixture to a boil. Add white wine and let mixture simmer for about 5 full minutes. Stir in butter.

Turn heat down to low and add cooked linguine. Toss to allow the noodles to soak up the sauce. Add in parmesan cheese, crumbled bacon and parsley.

Serve with additional parmesan and crusty bread.

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Coming up… some of my favorite recipes ever this week. I know. So dramatic aren’t I?

Tagged as: bacon, pasta, recipes