Recipe: Uniworld’s Linguini with Clams and Zucchini

Our friends at Uniworld Boutique River Cruises were nice enough to share another great recipe with us.

Linguini with Clams and Zucchini

by Daniel Rocco Vasilescu, Uniworld Corporate Chef
A staple of Italian cuisine, served during Uniworld’s “Splendors of Northern Italy, Venice, Florence & Rome” itinerary.

Ingredients

Large garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) pure olive oil
4 medium zucchini (about 1 1/2 lbs/680 g), sliced into 3 mm-thick rounds
1/2 tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
32 little neck clams (about 3 lbs/1 1/2 kg), washed
1/4 tsp (1 g) hot red pepper (chili) flakes, plus extra for serving
2 tbsp (30 g) chopped Italian parsley
12 oz (340 g) linguine
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter

Preparation

Put a pan of water with salt on to boil.

Lightly crush the garlic cloves and heat with both oils in a large, nonreactive sauté pan over medium heat until they start to sizzle. Adjust the heat so garlic continues to cook evenly in the oil, releasing its own oils, and softens but does not brown (about 2 minutes). Add the zucchini and carefully blend with oil. Season with salt.

Continue cooking slowly, stirring from time to time, until zucchini is completely softened and starts to break apart but does not brown (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and let rest in the oil for 2 hours. Pour into a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the zucchini and oil separately. Keep the same pan, without cleaning, for cooking the clams.

Heat the zucchini oil in the pan over medium heat until it starts to sizzle. Add clams, covering pan, and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook the clams, gently shaking pan from time to time, until they start to open (about 5 to 6 minutes). Cooking time will vary, depending on size of the clams and thickness of the shells. Add the reserved zucchini, hot pepper flakes, and parsley. Gently stir with the clams. Set aside.

Cook the pasta al dente; reheat the clams and the zucchini mixture; add the pasta and toss for a further minute and let the beautiful seashore juices from the clams be absorbed into the pasta. Serve right away.

For more information or to book your Uniworld cruise, please call Premier Custom Travel at (281) 301-5818 or toll-free at (800) 304-6789.