Littleneck Clams in Crazy Water (acqua pazza)
Marcella Hazan’s crazy water recipe, adapted for small, tender clams. A light, saffron-scented broth is the base of this lovely soup. Ladle the broth over chewy fregola (pearl couscous works beautifully too).
Ingredients
- 20-24 littleneck clams or cockles rinsed
- 1 pound (450 g) cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 3 whole garlic cloves lightly smashed with the a chef's knife
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 fresh chopped red chili pepper or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups water
- ¼-½ teaspoon saffron threads crushed with your fingers
- 1 cup (175 g) fregola sarda or pearl couscous
- 5 tablespoons (75 ml) Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon thinly sliced garlic
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallot
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
To clean the clams:
- Fill a large bowl with cold water then add the clams. Swish them around a little then let them soak about one hour. Lift the clams out of the water, leaving any sand or grit that settled on the bottom of the bowl.
Make the soup
- Set aside 1 cup of the cherry tomatoes. Put the rest in a saucepan with 3 whole garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 fresh chopped red chili pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼-½ teaspoon saffron threads, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a slow bubbling simmer and cook 30 minutes. Pour the broth through a strainer set over a bowl or a small saucepan (discard the vegetables).
- Cook 1 cup fregola sarda or pearl couscous in boiling salted water. In my experience it can take longer to cook than other types of small pasta before becoming tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil cover and keep warm
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan large enough to hold all the clams (12 inches diameter should do it). Add 1 teaspoon thinly sliced garlic, ½ cup thinly sliced shallot and reserved cherry tomatoes. Sauté a minute or two, until fragrant and sizzling. Toss in the clams, strained broth and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Cover the pan and turn up the heat to high and cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes. Discard any clams that haven't opened. Taste the broth to see if it needs salt or chili.
- Spoon the fregola or couscous into individual bowls and ladle about 1 ¼ cups of the broth over it. Set a few empty bowls on the table for the empty clam shells.
Notes
- Many supermarkets sell farm-raised clams, which are less sandy than wild ones.
- The soup is best made and served on the same day.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 358kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 9gFat: 18gSodium: 664mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g
