Homemade Linguine with Clams & Chorizo

When life gets hectic and stressful (and believe me, it does even for a zen chef), there are a few things that i found to be therapeutic and they include doing the dishes, baking and making pasta from scratch. Everything else related to cooking i classify under ‘work’. And there’s plenty of work these days starting with a party for 40 guests in the Hamptons in just a few days and plenty more fancy guests arriving in the following days. Think of it as a little Bed & Breakfast (..and lunch, and dinner) for the ultra rich. And if you want to know exactly how i’m preparing for it you should click here. It will take you to a post where i demonstrate my high levels of professionalism.

So what do i do when i get a day off? Well, i make pasta of course, because it relaxes me. On top of that i wash the dishes. Are you impressed yet or do you think i’m just plain weird?

Okay, err.. i guess i shouldn’t have asked.

So after finding some clams on sale at the market and a piece of chorizo that needed some loving in the back of the refrigerator, i said: Linguine with Clams and Chorizo!! It makes a lot of sense to me. But i’m weird, remember? You said it!

No, no.. yes!!.. you did!

I won’t hold any grudges and share the delicious recipe because i like you, although nobody has ever offered to give me a foot massage which i find deeply disappointing. It’s okay though. I still like you.

  • Homemade Linguine with Clams & Chorizo

  • Serves 6
    • For the linguine:
    • 1 1/4 cups tipo 00 flour or all-purpose
    • 1/2 cup semolina flour
    • pinch of salt
    • 8 egg yolks
    • 3 tablespoons water
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • For the Clams & Chorizo sauce:
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 ounces chorizo, diced
    • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
    • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    • pinch of red pepper flakes
    • 2 pounds Little Neck clams, scrubbed
    • 1 cup dry white wine
    • 1/2 lemon juice
    • extra-virgin olive oil
    • chopped parsley
    • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
    • For the linguine:
    • Combine both flours and the salt on a work surface and make a well. Beat the egg yolks, water and olive oil with a fork in a small bowl and pour the mixture in the center of the well. Using the fork or your fingers slowly incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients using a circular motion until it creates a dough. Use more flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface. Knead for 5 minutes until you obtain a dough that’s silky and smooth. The dough is ready if it gently pulls back into place when stretched with your hands. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
    • Cut the dough in 6 equal portions, shape them into rectangles and roll each piece in a pasta machine at the widest setting. Reset the rollers to the next narrower setting and again pass the dough. Trim the dough as needed. Continue until you obtain pasta sheets long and thin enough to see your hand through it when held up to the light.
    • Change to the linguine cutter attachment on your pasta machine and pass the pasta sheet through it to obtain linguine. Let them dry on a rack.
    • For the Clams and Chorizo sauce
    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
    • In a large, heavy saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Add the clams and the wine  and cover, and shaking occasionally, cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes.
    • Meanwhile cook the fresh linguine for 2-3 minutes in the boiling water (or 8-9 minutes if using store bought).
    • Remove the clams discarding any unopened one. Keep the clam-chorizo broth on a low simmer while removing the clams from their shells and chopping them up. Add the chopped clams back to the broth along with the cooked linguine, the extra-virgin olive oil, the lemon juice and parsley, and toss to coat. Divide among serving bowls and top each portion with cheese. Serve immediately.
Be Sociable, Share!

Tags: , ,

  • haumea

    Looks really yummy………i’m jealous but I think I will try this. But I don’t know how to make noodles and don’t have the fancy equipment. I’ll go buy fresh noodles made here though. But looks delicious-delish. The photo’s are beautiful

  • http://lemonsandanchovies.wordpress.com/ Jean

    I will eat linguine with clams any day, every day. With chorizo, sounds even better. In fact, I just made my version a few days ago. This looks divine–I love the rich color that the chorizo imparted to the broth. I have a piece of chorizo in the freezer, too. Maybe I’ll use it for this next time.

    Thanks for the inspiration!

  • http://wwwbunnysovencom.blogspot.com/ Cyndy

    Weird? Never. Fresh pasta is comfort food. This combination sounds so good.

  • http://freshlocalandbest.blogspot.com/ Christine @ Fresh Local and Best

    This looks like a spectacular meal. There’s nothing like fresh pasta, and this linguine alla vongole is a well deserved meal, especially after dealing with a high maintenance crowd.

  • http://www.theinternetchef.biz Bridget Davis (@bridget_cooks)

    WOW! this looks delicious!!

    Thank you for sharing.

    Bridget Davis (@bridget_cooks)
    The Internet Chef
    Sydney [Australia]

  • http://www.my-easy-cooking.com nina

    Zen, you are not perhaps looking for a cooking gig in SA. My kitchen is always available, he-he!! Love the intense color of that sauce.

  • http://www.mattikaarts.com/blog matt

    your day off is better than most peoples “on top form” days! Love linguine with clams, classic and a favorite of mine. I need to break my pasta machine out again.

  • http://thedrostens.blogspot.com/ Thijs

    I will massage your feet Zen, don’t worry. Just cook me some nice pasta dish and all will be well.
    Let me know if you’re ever in The Netherlands, I’ll even throw in a box of tonka beans…… (Waiting for the sounds af airplane engines….)

  • http://foodalogue.com Joan Nova

    I thought this was delicious when I saw the title but then to learn you made the pasta too…bravo!

  • http://www.foodgal.com Carolyn Jung

    Mmm, this is one of my all-time fave pasta dishes. When my hubby craves the rich ragout, I’m always digging into the briny-sweet taste of vongole. 😉

  • http://www.notquitenigella.com Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    That looks just divine! The combination of seafood and the garlicky chorizo is just gorgeous 😀

  • http://www.bunkycooks.com/ bunkycooks

    I just mentioned this to the hubs and he said to get that recipe! It really sounds delicious. I agree that making pasta is relaxing…in a strange sort of way. I just started to make my own recently. Messy, but so much better than buying it.

  • http://www.pigpigscorner.com pigpigscorner

    Chorizo and clams, can this get any better?! Some with chili pls!

  • http://kitchen-em.blogspot.com/ Kitchen M

    I get stressed when I see a pile of dishes after cooking. But I feel relaxed when I’m making bread. :)
    Good luck and have fun cooking for the party!

  • http://www.honeyfromrock.blogspot.com Claudia

    This looks excellent. I have just discovered that side benefit of making your own pasta. Always thought it would be just too much work, but I actually enjoyed the process. Plus you get a good meal out of it.

  • http://en.petitchef.com vincent

    Hello,

    We bumped into your blog and we really liked it – great recipes YUM YUM.
    We would like to add it to the Petitchef.com.

    We would be delighted if you could add your blog to Petitchef so that our users can, as us,
    enjoy your recipes.

    Petitchef is a french based Cooking recipes Portal. Several hundred Blogs are already members
    and benefit from their exposure on Petitchef.com.

    To add your site to the Petitchef family you can use http://en.petitchef.com/?obj=front&action=site_ajout_form or just go to Petitchef.com and click on “Add your site”

    Best regards,

    Vincent
    petitchef.com

  • http://www.tomatokumato.com emiglia

    That pasta looks incredible… although I don’t know how you managed to get into the kitchen long enough to make it! I’m in the Hamptons too, and it’s so hot here that I’ve been spending the majority of my time submerged entirely underwater.

  • http://breadetbutter.wordpress.com/ Su-yin

    I love chorizo, and whilst I’ve paired it with ingredients like squid and prawns, I can’t understand why I haven’t yet paired it with clams…

    On another note, this looks amazing. Homemade pasta always tastes great, and I’m sure yours was no exception.

    p.s. I love that link to the post depicting your ‘professionalism’! Made me laugh!

  • http://mochachocolatarita.blogspot.com mochachocolatarita

    foot massage? how abt foot tickling? tickle tickle tickle!

    i am crap at making pasta…so…instead of wanting this dish, which is never gonna happen in my kitchen, i’ll just go and make some nissin instant noodles and cry at the corner T_T

  • alica

    wow..I like it and like Thai food or food herb too. http://www.ichooooo.com/?page_id=881