Zuppetta di ceci e vongole

I love seafood and the combination between clams and chickpeas is so elegant and tasteful!

If you are thinking about a romantic dinner this weekend, you know what you can cook!

Be aware this is a dish to impress!

 

400 gr chickpeas (2 yields)

250 gr clams

1 garlic clove chopped, unpeeled

white wine
chili
olive oil

salt

parsley

baking powder

 

The night before, soak the chickpeas in a bowl with plenty of water and a tbs of baking soda. The day after, drain and rinse well. Boil them for 1h, 1/2-2h, add salt. Drain and skim off the foam on the top, saving some water (If you use the canned chickpeas, you can go to the next step directly).

In the same pan, smash roughly the chickpeas with an immersion blender, adding 1 tbs 1/2 of oil and half glass of the cooking water till creamy but not smooth.

Put the clams in a bowl with water and rinse twice. Set a covered shallow saucepan on the stove over medium high heat with the claims for 6, 7 min till clams have opened and turn the heat off. Put the clams aside and filter their cooking water in a cup.

In the same saucepan, brown the unpeeled garlic clove chopped with some fresh chili, the clams and sprinkle some white wine (do not add salt since the clams are naturally salty), when reduced add the clams cooking water filtered (It must not cooked more than 10 min otherwise the clams become chewy).
 

Reheat the smashed chickpeas (lukewarm), if necessary, serve in a bowl with the clams on the top (some with their shells) and fresh parsley.
 

Mezze maniche con frutti di mare

Never fish on Monday!!! Why? There is no fish market on Monday unless some friend have gathered mussels and clams!!! I know I am lucky to have such special friends!

I would like to dedicate this post to a wonderful mom, Margaret Pace. She loves cooking Italian food and I hope to meet her in Malta very soon.

200 gr mezze maniche rigate (serving two)

300 gr mussels, scrubbed and beards removed

300 gr clams

1 big garlic clove

lemon zest

white wine

olive oil

parsley

Rinse the mussels 3/4 times and put the clams in a bowl with water and rinse twice. Set two separate covered shallow saucepans (or I use the same pan  but cooking the clam and the mussel in two different moments, one after the other) on the stove over medium high heat with the shellfish for 6, 7 min till they have opened and turn the heat off (discard any that do not open after this time). Put the shellfish aside and filter their cooking water in a cup.

In a big skillet put 2 tbs of olive oil, the big garlic clove crushed unpeeled and the shellfish, when the garlic is brown, discard it, add some white wine until reduced and the cooking water you saved (do not add salt).

Drain your pasta and fold it into the skillet, tossing until well combined (adding pasta water, if necessary to stir better).

Serve with parsley and lemon zest.