Spaghetti w Clams in Parchment

[rotuts]

has anyone done this? its on page 76 of

http://www.amazon.co...ulletsociety-20

Marc Vetri was featured on the PBS show

http://saramoulton.com/weeknightmeals/

and did this dish. I'm wondering is this just for show, which is not in itself a bad idea, or does this make the clam pasta dish better?

your thoughts if youve made something like this.

Edited February 8, 2013 by Mjx (log)

[TdeV]

I just made fettucine with littleneck clams which was pretty tasty. I can't see where the recipes are in your posts, so I can't see how you're cooking it.

[rotuts]

essentially you make in this case the pasta w clams. then you place an individual portion in parchment paper and fold it 'nicely' and finish in a hot oven 425 for 5 - 7 min until the paper browns.

is this all presentation or does the pasta dish taste better after its parchment time?

[TdeV]

I didn't use parchment for mine.

But, since I have you, do you do something with your clams to get rid of the grit before you cook them? If so, what?

[rotuts]

well I scrub them well, the after they open, I just use the supernate broth and leave the dregs.

[TdeV]

Hi rotuts, what does "supernate" mean?

[Katie Meadow]

If you are first steaming the clams until they open they are essentially done and tender. If they then get cooked further in the parchment packet don't they risk being overcooked?

[budrichard]

Pasta with clams is a very simple recipe but has at its core, heating the clams in the shell until they just open, releasing the clam liquid into the clam sauce and insuring the clams do not get over cooked and tough.

Whether by ignorance or just the desire to introduce something different, any prolonged cooking of fresh clams will toughen the clams.

So the recipe is simple, cook your pasta, drain, put your clams into what every sauce you have, heat covered unitl the clams just open, mix serve. simple works every time.-Dick

[rotuts]

supernate = the liquid above the solids

[rotuts]

I agree that clams and shell fish are very sensitive to cooking tiime. I had hoped that someone might have tried the parchment paper idea and noted that the clams were tougher.

gimmick then?

[budrichard]

Presentation, not gimmick.

Opening the package table side by either the server or diner is classy.

Commander's Palace does a very nice Pompano in Parchment (en papillote).

I would think that if done correctly, clams with pasta would work, but if I were preparing this dish, I would shuck the raw clams reserving the liquid and put clams and liquid into the parchment with just cooked pasta and into an oven for a few minutes.-Dick