Stuffed Baked Clams

Baked clam shells filled with chopped clams, soppressata, herbs and Parmesan breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

• Stuffed Clams — 3 dz Middleneck Clams
• Stuffed Clams — 3 Garlic Cloves Minced
• Stuffed Clams — 2 Shallots Minced
• Stuffed Clams — 2 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary Minced
• Stuffed Clams — ¼ cup Fresh Italian Parsley Minced
• Stuffed Clams — ½ cup Soppressata Minced
• Stuffed Clams — 1½ cups Dry White Wine
• Stuffed Clams — 2 Tbsp Salted Butter
• Stuffed Clams — 2 cups Bread Crumbs
• Stuffed Clams — ¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese Plus Extra for Topping
• Stuffed Clams — 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Stuffed Clams — ½ tsp Kosher Salt
• Stuffed Clams — ¼ tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Method

1. CLEAN THE CLAMS: Heat the oven to 425°F. Cover the clams with salted ice water for 20 minutes. Discard broken shells and any open clams that do not close when tapped. Lift the clams out by hand and rinse away remaining sand.
2. STEAM AND RESERVE: Rinse the pot. Add the clams and 1 cup wine, cover and cook over high heat for about 10–12 minutes, until they open. Discard any that remain closed. Drain through a colander over a large bowl, reserving all the steaming liquid.
3. PREPARE THE FILLING: Remove and finely mince the clam meat and attached legs. Separate the shell halves and wipe away any sand. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the shallots, garlic and rosemary for 2–3 minutes, stirring. Add the remaining ½ cup wine, butter and soppressata and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the wine reduces by half.
4. STUFF: Mix the minced clams, parsley and cooked aromatic mixture with the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, pepper and 1 cup reserved steaming liquid. Let stand for 2 minutes. Fill each shell half with a heaping Tbsp stuffing, using only as many shells as needed.
5. BAKE: Arrange on a sheet pan and sprinkle with extra Parmesan. Bake on the middle rack for 10–12 minutes, until the topping starts to brown. Rest for 5 minutes. Serve with the remaining steaming liquid for drizzling.