Zuppa De Clams (or Mussels)

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 48 baby clams (mahogany clams or little necks are fine too, approximately) or 48 mussels
• salt and pepper
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2 -3 garlic cloves (to taste)
• 4 sprigs flat-leaf italian parsley, rinsed dried and coarsely chopped
• 1 -2 tablespoon finely minced fresh sweet basil (to taste) (optional)
• 1 (28 ounce) can italian peeled plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (reserve liquid)
• sliced fresh crusty rustic italian bread or french bread

Recipe

• 1 wash and dry the clams and soak them in a large bowl in cold, salted water for about 30 minutes.
• 2 any remaining sand should fall to the bottom of the bowl.
• 3 drain the clams and rinse them well in a colander under running water.
• 4 crush one clove of garlic, and slice the remaining cloves very thin.
• 5 in a large, heavy pan, sauté the crushed garlic until it begins to brown, then remove from the pan and discard.
• 6 add the remaining sliced garlic and the parsley.
• 7 cook over very low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the tomatoes and enough liquid to just make a slightly soupy dish.
• 8 you don't want too much liquid in this, but judge the amount to your taste.
• 9 season with the salt and pepper, then raise the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes.
• 10 (add more liquid if necessary).
• 11 add the clams, lower the heat again, cover pan, and let steam for about 10 minutes, or until the shells have opened and the clams are ready.
• 12 discard any unopened clams.
• 13 sprinkle with more freshly ground pepper and the basil, if desired.
• 14 (you can substitute a teaspoon of dried if you wish).
• 15 serve in shallow bowls with slices of bread for dunking.