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Baked Clams

(Vongole Ripiene)
The clams are a very popular antipasto in the United States, especially in the costal areas.
Clams can be served sauted with garlic and oil or over pasta to make a fragrant and appetizing
entree, into chowder with potatoes and broth, or else stuffed and baked in many different ways.
In Italy the Vongole are very small clams used to make sauce for linguine or spaghetti.
In America the clams harvested come in many size. The preferred sizes for stuffed clams are
the little neck clams, the neck or top neck; larger size clams are usually chopped, mixed with the
condiment and baked in small aluminum shells.
Italian-Americans in Rhode Island were serving in the Italian eateries clams in a half shell
covered with a concussion of breadcrumbs toasted in the fat rendered by chopped bacon and
with the addition of garlic, onions and herbs.
It became a fashionable appetizer and a standard feature in all restaurants.
Clams Casino are baked clams stuffed with breadcrumbs, garlic, butter, Worcestershire sauce,
lemon juice and bacon; the Clams Rockefeller are prepared with breadcrumbs, mustard,
spinach, scallions, Worcestershire sauce butter, Tabasco and topped with a piece of bacon.
Casino and Rockefeller are the trendiest recipes for stuffed clams.
At Joes of Avenue U the stuffed clams were prepared with breadcrumbs seasoned with parsley,
fresh oregano, a hint of garlic, a little tomato sauce and abundant olive oil.
The first step, in this preparation was to bake the clams and broil them, when ready to serve.
The taste of the fresh clams, the crispy breadcrumb mixture, the various ingredients with
contrasting savor and diverse consistency, result into a bite very stimulating to your appetite and
your palate.
Serves 4 to 5

INGREDIENTS

2 doz. littleneck clams, necks or top neck, scrubbed and rinsed


1 cup toasted breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic pressed or finely chopped
cup of parsley, chopped
teaspoon of oregano
Pinch of red crushed peperoncino flakes (optional)
salt and pepper
cup tomato sauce or 6 (canned) chopped plum tomatoes
olive oil to drizzle over
2 lemon quartered to garnish

PREPARATION
The Clams
It is important to buy fresh clams, tightly closed, with the shells whole and without chips; scrub
and rinse the clams, soak in cold for at least 1 hour, to eliminate any sand. Remove clams from

the water, put in a strainer and rinse again, place in an open container and keep in the
refrigerator.
When ready to shuck the clams, cover with ice: it is easy to open when they are cold. Use a
glove and the proper tool to open the clams or have your fishmonger do it.
Or in a saut pan, over a medium heat, place one tablespoon of oil and one crushed clove of
garlic and with a wooden spoon squeeze the garlic into the oil to release its flavor. When garlic
is light golden discard; place the clams and a few tablespoons of water into the pot. Cover and
steam for 2-3 minutes, continuously checking for open clams: as they open, remove with a tong
or a slotted long-handled spoon and set on the side. Discard any unopened clams. Remove the
mollusks from shells and set on the side, reserve half of the shells and filter the cooking liquid
with cheesecloth to eliminate any sand and put on the side.

The Stuffing
In a medium bowl, combine the toasted breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, chopped oregano,
peperoncino, and black pepper to taste.
Add the oil, the tomato and 3 tablespoons of the clam juice mix well and taste to check for salt.
If mixture is too dry and needs salt add more clam juice or add more oil.

The Making
Place a clam into a half shell and cover loosely with 1 slightly full tablespoon of the stuffing, do
not pack down the stuffing.
Place the stuffed clam on a sheet tray, add cup of water, sprinkle any leftover stuffing and
bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
When ready to serve, drizzle with olive oil and add cup of water, place under the broiler or
bake at 475 degrees until the top of the stuffing is golden brown.
Place clams onto a platter, spoon on each serving dish some of the pan juices, garnish with
lemon wedge and serve some spongy Italian bread to mop the baking juices.
Add as an aperitif and to pare with the baked clams, a young Californian Chablis, or a Sicilian
Pinot Grigio produced by the Feudo Arancio.

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