Active Time

　　25 min

　　Total Time

　　35 min

　　Food Editor: Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

　　Father: Alexander J. Miraglia, Howard Beach, NY

　　No matter what Italian restaurant we visit, my dad can't seem to resist ordering linguine with clams. Although they're not technically clams, cockles work best in this dish, since they're very small and have tender, sweet flesh. You can identify them by their tiny size (about 1/2 to 1 inch across) and green-tinged shells.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 4 main-dish to 8 first-course servings

　　1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 medium onion, chopped

　　6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

　　3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

　　1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

　　1/3 cup dry white wine

　　1/3 cup bottled clam juice

　　1 lb linguine

　　2 lb small cockles (up to 1 inch across; 5 to 6 dozen), scrubbed well

　　2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

　　1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　Accompaniments: extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling; dried hot red pepper flakes

　　

Step 1

Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and clam juice and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot ofboiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander.

　　

Step 3

While pasta is cooking, stir cockles into sauce and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until cockles open wide, 4 to 6 minutes. (Discard any cockles that have not opened after 6 minutes.) Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted.

　　

Step 4

Add pasta to cockles along with parsley and salt to taste, then toss with sauce until combined well.

　　Cooks' note:

　　•You can substitute bottled baby clams in the shell for the cockles. They're available at some Italian markets and by mail order from D. Coluccio & Sons (718-436-6700). Stir clams into sauce and cook until just heated through.