Turnip and clam orecchiette
by
Clams, turnips and pasta? Not a combination that immediately comes to mind. But once you try this dish by Anna Tobias, you will be treated to this genius combination of bitter turnips, salty clams and comforting pasta, all underpinned with a hint of warmth from a pinch of chilli flakes. Read Anna's article for more dazzlingly creative dishes using the under-appreciated turnip.
Ingredients
Turnip and clam orecchiette
- 500g of clams
- 100ml of olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 small bunch of parsley , separated into stalks and leaves
- 125ml of white wine, (a small glass)
- 2 large Tokyo turnips , peeled, with their leaves intact
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 500g of orecchiette
- 30ml of high-quality olive oil, for finishing
- salt
- pepper
Method
1
Wash the clams thoroughly and discard any that are open or damaged. In a large saucepan that can hold the clams in more or less one layer, pour in 30ml of olive oil. Add one garlic clove and 4 parsley stalks and, once sizzling, add the clams along with the wine. Place a lid over the top and allow to steam for 3 minutes. At this point have a look to see if the clams have opened. If not, carry on steaming until they have. Once open, pour the clams into a colander, reserving the cooking liquor
- 1 garlic clove
- 250g of clams
- 30ml of olive oil
- 1 small bunch of parsley , separated into stalks and leaves
- 125ml of white wine, (a small glass)
2
Discard any clams that have not opened and pick the clam meat from the shells. Place in a bowl and pour the cooking liquor through a sieve over the clams
3
Dice the turnips to a similar size to the clams. Chop the remaining garlic, turnip stalks and parsley stalks quite finely, setting the turnip and parsley leaves to one side. Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan, then add the stalks and garlic. Let them fizz enthusiastically for 30 seconds, then add the diced turnips and chilli flakes. Stir well and reduce the heat to medium. Cook with the lid on for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then. You don't want the turnips to take on any colour
- 2 large Tokyo turnips , peeled, with their leaves intact
- 70ml of olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
4
Roughly chop the turnip leaves and add them to the turnips. Replace the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. At this point, pour over half the clam liquor that has been sitting in the bowl with the clams, and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper if necessary
5
Boil the orecchiette in salted water according to the packet instructions. Chop the parsley leaves roughly. When the pasta is nearly cooked, warm up the turnip sauce and add the clams, along with enough of the remaining liquor to create a nice saucy, but not soupy, consistency
- 500g of orecchiette
6
One minute before the pasta is cooked, drain it, add to the sauce and simmer gently. This allows the orecchiette to finish cooking in the sauce and allows them to absorb all the delicious flavours. The clams and turnips should nestle comfortably in the nooks of the orecchiette. Add the parsley and pour over the extra virgin olive oil
- 30ml of extra virgin olive oil, good quality for finishing
7
Serve in shallow bowls, making sure there's plenty of sauce in each one
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Turnip and clam orecchiette
