This pasta dish brilliantly pairs clams simply steamed with sea salt with a citric flavoured pesto that exalts the oceanic taste of the shellfish. I am not usually a pistachio fan, but here the nuts bring a lightly sweet taste that deliciously softens the sharpness of the sauce. The oil and garlic wrap the pasta beautifully, and you will find yourself finishing your bowl in seconds and asking for more.
Clams on Tagliolinis with pistachio and lime pesto
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Recipe by: La cuisine de Mercotte Busy:15 min, Total prep time: 20 min Serves: 4 |
Shell the pistachios and blanch them for a couple of minutes in the boiling water to soften their skin. Take them out of the water and remove the skin, leaving you with vibrant green little nuts.
Chop them into pieces the size of very coarse salt.
Zest the lemons and juice them. Mix the zests, juice, pistachios, garlic, parmesan and olive oil together and set aside.
Cook the pasta in boiling water and a drizzle of olive oil until just al dente
Wash the clams thoroughly and allow to sit in cold water for 10 minutes. Rinse them, place them in an empty saucepan with a sprinkle of coarse Guerande sea salt and cracked pepper. Steam, covered, on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until all the clams are open. Discard the clams that did not open.
Drain some of the clam juices and add about 1 teaspoon of it to the pesto. Check the seasoning and add a bit of clam juices if needed.
Drain the pasta and mix with half the pesto. Serve in a large serving platter or individual bowls, toss the clams on top and drizzle the remaining pesto on the clams and pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.
Bring water in a small saucepan to the boil
Shell the pistachios and blanch them for a couple of minutes in the boiling water to soften their skin. Take them out of the water and remove the skin, leaving you with vibrant green little nuts.
Chop them into pieces the size of very coarse salt.
Zest the lemons and juice them. Mix the zests, juice, pistachios, garlic, parmesan and olive oil together and set aside.
Cook the pasta in boiling water and a drizzle of olive oil until just al dente
Wash the clams thoroughly and allow to sit in cold water for 10 minutes. Rinse them, place them in an empty saucepan with a sprinkle of coarse Guerande sea salt and cracked pepper. Steam, covered, on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until all the clams are open. Discard the clams that did not open.
Drain some of the clam juices and add about 1 teaspoon of it to the pesto. Check the seasoning and add a bit of clam juices if needed.
Drain the pasta and mix with half the pesto. Serve in a large serving platter or individual bowls, toss the clams on top and drizzle the remaining pesto on the clams and pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.
This pesto is very lemony and I love it. If you are not so sure about the intensity of the lemon, only use 2/3 of the lemon juice and save the remainder. You can then add it back to the pasta in the end after tasting it.
Ingredients
30 g shelled pistachios (about 70 g whole ones)
3 untreated limes
1 large garlic clove, crushed
40 g freshly grated parmesan for the pesto plus another 40 g to sprinkle on top
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Guerande sea salt
1 kg clams in their shell
400 g fresh spaghettis
30 g shelled pistachios (about 70 g whole ones)
3 untreated limes
1 large garlic clove, crushed
40 g freshly grated parmesan for the pesto plus another 40 g to sprinkle on top
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Guerande sea salt
1 kg clams in their shell
400 g fresh spaghettis
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