Clam Chowder Shell Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 (6.5 ounce) can whole clams
- 1 (6.5 ounce) can minced clams
- 1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice
- 1 (8 ounce) package shell pasta
- ½ cup peeled, diced Yukon Gold potatoes
- ⅓ cup diced celery
- 1 sprig fresh tarragon
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or more to taste
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Instructions
- Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes. Pour bacon and grease into a strainer set over a bowl to let the grease drain out. Reserve bacon until needed and discard grease or set aside for another use.
- Place the skillet back over medium heat and add butter, onion, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook and stir until onion starts to soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook and stir for about 1 minute to create a roux.
- Drain both cans clams and set clams aside for later.
- Pour clam juice from the cans and the bottle into the skillet; whisk to scrape off any bits from the bottom of the skillet. Raise heat to medium-high and let come to a simmer.
- While the clam juice is coming to a simmer, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 9 to 12 minutes.
- Add potatoes, celery, tarragon, and cayenne to the simmering clam juice mixture. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the reserved clams, cream, and all but 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon. Simmer gently for another 10 minutes, then remove and discard tarragon sprig.
- Drain pasta well and add to the clam sauce; mix until well combined. Turn off the heat and let sit for 1 minute.
- Stir in parsley and Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- Ladle into warm bowls. Sprinkle with more Parmesan, crumbled bacon, and parsley.
Source
Original recipe: View Original