Steamed Clams and Fideo Recipe
Description
Steamed clams topped with pancetta and fideos create a great meal for two or dinner party appetizer.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup dry fideo pasta
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons vermouth + 1 teaspoon, divided
- 15 large clams washed and scrubbed clean
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs*
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic (about 1 small clove)
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- Parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Cook 1 cup fideo according to package directions until al dente. Drain and toss with a light drizzle of olive oil.
- Cook 4 ounces diced pancetta in a stainless steel skillet over medium heat until fat has rendered and pancetta is browned, 5–8 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to a bowl. Reserve drippings in skillet.
- Add 1 diced shallot to skillet and cook, over medium-low heat, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds. Deglaze with 2 tablespoons vermouth; simmer until nearly completely reduced and a ribbon formed on the pan fills in after 5 seconds, about 2 minutes.
- Add clams, cover, and cook over medium heat until clams open, 8–10 minutes.
- Heat oven to broil with rack set in lower-middle position (about 12 inches from element).
- Pour clams and broth into a baking dish.
- Toss cooked fideo with cooked pancetta and ½ cup breadcrumbs; pile over top of clams.
- Broil until bread crumbs are browned and crispy, 12–15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine ¼ cup mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon garlic and 1 teaspoon vermouth; season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove dish from oven and dollop vermouth aioli over top. Sprinkle chopped parsley over top and serve.
Equipment
Notes
*Breadcrumbs: I like to make this recipe with Italian-seasoned Panko breadcrumbs. They can be hard to find, but I like to use Kinder’s.
I usually recommend you season a dish every step of the way. But for this recipe, I recommend going very light on the salt, if any. The pancetta and clams both add a lot of salt to the dish and it can easily become over-seasoned if you are adding additional salt. You can always add salt at the end if it’s not quite there, but most likely it will be adequately seasoned without any additional salt.
Every broiler is different! You know your boiler best, so use your best judgment on time and keep an eye on the fideos. If your broiler is powerful, the fideos can go from golden to burnt quickly. If your broiler is like mine, it may take a bit longer.
Nutrition
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