My grandmother had four boys, all of which are over 6’3”. So dinner had to be cheap, it had to be quick, and most importantly, it had to be good! I think I knew how to make this recipe before I knew my multiplication tables. Grandma only visits so often, so if you wanted it in my house, you had to make it!

I take pride in knowing that my daughter knew how to make this recipe by age 7! One of my proudest Dad moments was once, while making this together, I put a squeeze of lemon in at the final stage of the recipe and let my daughter taste it. Her eyes lit up. “DAD! A little lemon changes everything!” It was a heady blend of pride pulling on the chef and father strings of my heart. This recipe has cemented its place in my family’s history—and its future. I hope you all enjoy your experience with it as much as I have. (And don’t forget the bread!)

Buon Appetito!

-Chef Jimmy, Regional Executive Chef of Sports & Entertainment

Grandma Petracci's Linguine & Clam Sauce

Course: Main Course

Equipment

  • 1 SautĂ© pan
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Wisk
  • 1 Wooden spoon
  • 1 Spatula
  • 1 Chef's knife

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Linguine cooked al dente
  • 1 cup Pasta water
  • 1 stick Diced unsalted butter
  • .5 cup Italian parsley; curly will work
  • 2 Juice from lemons; use fresh!
  • .5 cup White wine
  • 2 cans Canned chopped clams with juice canned is important
  • Salt & pepper To taste

Instructions

  • Cook linguine noodles al dente, then drain, reserving one cup of the pasta water
  • Cool noodles from room temp in fridge; DO NOT RINSE
  • Melt butter on medium heat, add garlic and cook till lightly browned
  • Deglaze with white wine and lemon juice, add clams with juice
  • Reduce for 20 minutes on low/medium heat
  • Finish with parsley and season with salt and pepper
  • Toss cooked pasta in clam sauce and serve with crusty bread
by Dina Biondo in Recipes, Team