Active Time

　　25 min

　　Total Time

　　25 min

　　"I got the inspiration for this recipe from a dish we made in a cooking class I took recently," says Tracy McGillis of San Francisco, California. "I added a few twists and came up with my own tasty version."

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

　　24 small hard-shelled clams such as littleneck or Manila, well scrubbed

　　1 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　2 scallions, finely chopped

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　2 large plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

　　1/2 cup dry white wine

　　1/4 cup water

　　2 tablespoons Pernod

　　1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

　　12 oz dried linguine

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　

Step 1

Heat a deep 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over high heat until a bead of water dropped on cooking surface evaporates immediately.

　　

Step 2

Add clams and fennel seeds, then cover skillet and cook, shaking skillet, until clam shells are lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add oil and toss to coat clams.

　　

Step 3

Stir in scallions, garlic, and tomatoes, then sauté, stirring, until tomatoes begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine, water, Pernod, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Cover and steam clams, shaking skillet occasionally, until they open, 7 to 10 minutes. (Discard any unopened ones.)

　　

Step 4

While clams are steaming, cook linguine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander.

　　

Step 5

Add linguine, butter, and parsley to clams and toss over low heat until pasta is coated with sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.