Photo: Brodetto di Cozze e Vongole con Bruschetta di Erbe (Steamed Clam and Mussel Soup) Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons more for bruschetta
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon hot chili flakes
- 20 littleneck clams, scrubbed and drained
- 20 mussels, debearded and scrubbed
- 2 cups dry white wine
Directions
1/2 cup basic tomato sauce, recipe follows
- 4 slices crusty peasant bread
- 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh basil, chives, and marjoram, mixed together
- Coarse salt
- 1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/4 cup
Place a 12 to 14-inch saute pan over medium high heat and heat the oil until smoking. Add the scallions, the garlic and the chili flakes and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 1 minute. Add the clams and mussels and stir to mix. Add the wine and tomato sauce, cover and cook until clams and mussels are all open, about 5 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, grill or toast the bread until quite dark. Remove and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and some coarse salt. Remove lid from clam pan, add parsley and stir through. Divide the broth, the clams and the mussels among 4 bowls, top with bruschetta and serve.
BASIC TOMATO SAUCE:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Spanish onion, chopped in 1/4-inch dice
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
- 1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
- 2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
- Salt, to taste
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer. Yield: 4 cups
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