Spaghetti and Clams

I haven't made linguini and clams in years, but I can't for the life of me remember why because it is one of my favorite pastas. But because I didn't have linguini in the pantry, today we ate spaghetti and clams instead.

Yesterday I saw canned clams on sale for 99 cents and was reminded of this low budget meal that J and I used to make all the time when he was in law school. It's a great $4 meal for two: 99 cents for a pack of pasta, 99 cents for a can of clams, and $2 for an onion, some parsley, a shot of clear alcohol (pisco, rum, vodka, or dry vermouth all work if you don't want to open a bottle of white wine), and some salt and pepper.

It's really more of a process than a recipe. Begin cooking the pasta in lightly salted water. Meanwhile, sautee the onions in some oil and/or butter over medium heat until soft. Turn the heat up to high for a few moments before adding the shot of alcohol to a hot pan. Stir, then add the clam juice slowly while maintaining a simmer. Add most of the parsley, and turn the flame down to a simmer until the pasta is ready. Stir the pasta into the sauce, coating well for a few minutes to let the sauce soak in. Add pasta water as necessary to maintain a saucy consistency. Garnish with the remaining parsley, pepper, and a little cheese if that's your thing.
I promise, the fragrance will charm you if you are a lover of seafood!