SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS & BRAISED SWISS CHARD

The red sauce in this recipe is pureed red bell peppers from a jar. This is a new favorite pasta and clam dish for my husband. We do like grated cheese on our pasta and seafood dishes. My mother-in-law always told us not to serve grated cheese with seafood and pasta, but more people are doing it today, at least in the USA...probably not in Italy.

2 dozen littleneck clams

¼ cup extra-light olive oil, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry white wine

3 roasted red bell peppers, in a jar

½ t red pepper flakes

1 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and coarsely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ lb spaghetti

2 T unsalted butter

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

Freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Place clams in a bowl of cold water and let sit for 10 minutes. Then drain and set aside in a bowl.

In a large skillet, heat 2 T of the olive oil and add half of the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Add the wine and bring to a boil.

Add the clams, cover with a lid, and cook over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the clams open. Discard any unopened clams.

Remove the clams with a large slotted spoon to a large bowl, cover and set aside.

Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve into a blender.

Add the roasted bell peppers and puree until smooth.

Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 T of the olive oil and sauté the rest of the garlic for one minute.

Stir in the red pepper flakes and the greens. Cover and slowly cook 5 minutes.

Stir in the roasted red bell pepper broth and bring to a simmer.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Drain the pasta and add to the skillet.

Add the butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

Add the clams and spoon some of the sauce over the clams. Cover for a couple minutes to keep warm.

Divide between 2 heated pasta bowls and garnish with grated cheese.

Serves 2

ROMAN CACIO e PEPE WITH PANCETTA & LEMON

Cacio e Pepe is a pasta dish from Rome. It translates to "cheese and pepper". I added pancetta for extra crunch and flavor. I also added lemon zest and juice to brighten up the dish. This is a simple dish but you must add pancetta and Pecorino Romano cheese to make this authentic. I also added Parmigiano cheese because I like the combination of the two kinds of cheese. This could become your favorite quick pasta dish.

Lee's Kitchen Tips:

You can make a pizza with the same ingredients, but omit the lemon juice, lemon zest, and Italian parsley.

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 T freshly grated black pepper

1 T sea salt (for the pasta water)

1 lb spaghetti or bucatini

4 oz pancetta, diced

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

6 T unsalted butter

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

2 T minced Italian parsley

In a bowl mix together the grated cheeses with the black pepper and set aside.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

Add the salt and the spaghetti or bucatini and cook until al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pancetta in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat until crisp.

Remove with a slotted spoon to a towel-lined plate and set aside.

Drain off most of the fat but leave the brown bits in the pan.

Lower heat and add the butter and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

Add the cheese mixture and cook until cheeses are melted and smooth.

Drain the pasta but save 1 cup of the pasta water.

Add the drained pasta to the pan along with some of the pasta water.

Heat through then add half of the pancetta, lemon zest, and juice.

Transfer to 4 warm pasta bowls, sprinkle on the rest of the pancetta, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, and garnish with parsley.

Serves 4