Thursday, March 26, 2015

Steamed Clams Fagioli


This dish is a takeoff of the Italian peasant dish Pasta Fagioli, but steamed clams take the place of the pasta found in a traditional Fagioli. It’s loaded with the classic Italian flavors found in most Fagioli recipes and can be prepared in 30 minutes.

Fagioli has become so popular in American today that it’s widely found even in restaurants that don’t specialize in Italian cuisine. According to Wikipedia, the word for beans varies in the different Italian dialects so much that fagoli is it often pronounced differently. Pastafazoola, a song written by Van & Schenck, used the Neapolitan pronunciation for the rhyme - “Don’t be a fool, eat pasta fazool.” Whenever I hear the word fazool, it always reminds me of the line in Dean Martin’s song That’s Amore - “When the stars make you drool, just-a like a pasta fazool, that’s amore.” 


Meakin has his own way of steaming clams and that’s how we prepared them for this recipe so we would have fresh clam broth instead of having to use bottled clam broth. If you plan to use your own method to steam the clams, you’ll want to steam the clams first before you proceed with the recipe and add them at the end when you’re plating. Otherwise, just follow the recipe as written below. For a less soupy version, use the recommended ½ can of the tomatoes and beans.

We are crazy about steamed clams and thought this dish definitely fell into the “have-again” category. It is lighter and less filling than the traditional pasta fagioli and frankly we didn’t miss the pasta at all. Plus we’re always glad to welcome another 30 minute meal into our repertoire. Don’t forget the slices of a toasted baguette to sop up all of the delicious juices.



Steamed Clams Fagioli 
Adapted from Cooking Light, serves 4, can be prepared in 30 minutes
Printable Recipe

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained (I used entire can)
1/3 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons clam juice
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash of kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I used entire can)
12 littleneck clams
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices French bread baguette (about 4 ounces), toasted

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add onion and celery; sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add red pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in wine; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth, clam juice, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper and drained beans. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat & simmer 2 minutes. Add clams to pan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until clams open (be sure discard any clams whose shells don’t open.) Ladle 2/3 cup soup into 4 bowls & top each with 3 clams. Serve with slicked of toasted baguette  to mop up the broth.



For better viewing, click photos to enlarge.

This will be shared with Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm, Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday & Food on Friday at Carole's Chatter.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Easter recipes early next week. Stay tuned.


28 comments:

  1. I haven't had any clams like in CENTURY! This looks so flavoursome and delicious.

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  2. Clams or mussels are a huge favorite around my house. Your healthy and light-in-calorie dinner is filling and full of flavor, Sam. Photographs beautifully, too. Great color and a big yes to sopping up all those juices with a fresh bagette.

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  3. What a beautiful dish too.
    I love seeing opened clams..mussels in dishes..A holiday by the sea on plate to me~
    It has been a while for us also.

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  4. This looks outstanding Sam and Meakin. Did you import those clams from Cedar Key.

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  5. Sam, That is a fine looking bowl of clams! The bread for dipping just adds to the joy... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  6. I love the use of fresh clams. I was looking for a way not to use the bottle of clam juice. Pinning.

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  7. What gorgeous clams and I love your seafood take on pasta e fagioli, Sam! It's sort of a cross between that and cioppini which I love also. I haven't had clams in about a year and now I am really craving them after seeing your mouthwatering photos!

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  8. Wow but this looks sooooooo good. keep well Diane

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  9. Very pretty pics Sam! I'm sure it was great:@)

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  10. Great fusion recipe. And all those great colors and textures! Thanks for sharing ....

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  11. I made pasta fagoli this past weekend. I really enjoy making it this time of year. Your pasta fagoli is very creative.

    Velva

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  12. I wish I had a bowl of this right now, Sam! I love clams and this looks so delicious!

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  13. I am not a clam lover, but this makes me want to try them again!

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  14. Oh, Sam! This recipe looks like sheer perfection and combines two of our favorite dishes - YUM!!! We recently had a bottle of Truchard Roussanne with steamed clams and I bet it would pair deliciously with this dish. Thanks so much for sharing yet ANOTHER fabulous recipe ~ Cheers:)

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  15. Looks amazing and how fun that you two make this together!

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  16. Clams make me nervous - I've never made them, or mussels, at home. But I LOVE a good bean.

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  17. I am so clam deprived and really don't know much about them and how to cook them. Your beautiful bowl of fagioli has me interested in diving in to a new adventure.

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  18. I've cooked many an oyster, but never a clam. I love eating them in restaurants, but just haven't taken the leap of cooking them myself! This soup is one that we would love, though, so I may have to just hold my breath and do it. :)

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  19. Altho I eat nothing that lives in the water, your photos are just beautiful.
    At my advanced, olden age, I've never tasted a clam. :)

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  20. Your soup looks delicious, Sam and I know we would love it here. We see fresh clams in the store occasionally and now I know what to do with them. Plus, it's very colorful also!

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  21. We love clams, but never had the pleasure to enjoy it with cannellini beans. Looks very tempting, Sam!

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  22. Alexis would LOVE this! It reminds me of a dish that she and her father often got at an Italian restaurant we would go to in Jacksonville, FL. They overloaded theirs with garlic though and the next day, Alexis would always have that garlicky smell to her. I might have to make this for her (and quadruple the garlic, ha ha) for old times sake :)

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  23. Sam what an original recipe. LOVE IT! I will try this, with plenty of garlic bread and a good nap afterwards!

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  24. Oooh, I do hope you'll come over to Food on Friday: Fish & Seafood to bring this to the party! Cheers from Carole's Chatter

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  25. Sam, thanks for bringing this over. This one is on my shortlist for a feature. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

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  26. What a lovely idea to substitute clams. I don't do clams enough (partly because they're not always the best quality in MN). But 'd like to do more clams and mussels. Plus - it's nice to see them as a main meal and not just an appetizer.

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  27. My husband would just love this bowl of wonderful clams, some of his favorites! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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