Author Notes
This easy pasta dish depends on the carbonara method—egg yolks plus cream tossed into hot pasta—to create an enriched sauce flavored with fresh chives. If you are not using clams, be sure to reserve some of the pasta water to keep the sauce silky. —Lynne Curry
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Ingredients
- For the pasta
-
2
large egg yolks
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1/2 cup
heavy cream
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2 tablespoons
vermouth or dry white wine
-
1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
-
Kosher salt
-
1 pound
linguine, fresh or dried
-
3/4 cup
finely chopped fresh chives and chive blossoms
- For the clams (optional)
-
2 tablespoons
unsalted butter
-
1
garlic clove
-
2-3 pounds
little neck clams, scrubbed
Directions
-
Whisk the yolks, cream, vermouth and pepper in a mixing bowl and set aside.
-
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water if not using clams.
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If using clams, melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the garlic clove and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the clams, cover the pot and steam until they all open, about 8 minutes.
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When the linguine is al dente, drain it well and return it to the pot over low heat.Add the reserved egg mixture and stir until the sauce coats the pasta. Add the chives and stir to blend. (If you are not adding clams, add some of the reserved pasta water to keep the sauce creamy.)
-
If using clams, strain them from their liquid, add them to the pasta and stir to coat them in the sauce with enough of the cooking liquid to keep the sauce creamy.
I wake up thinking, What's for dinner? The answer comes from the stocking as much local food as I can store, buying dry goods in bulk and shopping for seasonal produce. Pickling and canning, sourdough bread baking and grilling are also key parts of the mix as I improvise meals for my family.
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