Though they seem to be the iconic gem of every red-and-white checkered tablecloth resto, legend has it that the dish originated in a resort in Rhode Island, not a nonna's kitchen. But when it comes to kicking off the meal, the app that's always caught my eye is Clams Casino, those bacony, crunchy-topped, sizzling little half-shell clams that hit the table and immediately make you happy.īut it turns out I didn't know Clams Casino quite as well as I thought.

Remove the clams from the oven, garnish with remaining parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges cut from the remaining ½ lemon.Garlic bread, calamari, some nice broccoli rabe-you can't hit an old school Italian American red-sauce joint without ordering these dishes along with your spaghetti and meatballs.

Place the baking dish in the oven about 6 inches below the heating element, and broil on high for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs begin to brown.

Spread the rock salt to make an even layer.

Set the oven to broil again, and prepare an oven-safe seafood platter, skillet, or baking dish by adding about a ½-inch layer of rock salt to the bottom.

Drizzle each clam with some of the bacon drippings for extra flavor.

Spoon bacon and bell pepper mixture over the top of each clam, distributing evenly. Spoon the breadcrumb mixture on top of each clam, and gently pack it down a bit with the back of the spoon or your hands.Mix together in a bowl the panko breadcrumbs, butter, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Worcestershire sauce, wine, the juice of ½ the lemon, sea salt, and ground pepper.Transfer the bacon and peppers to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Add the diced bell pepper and shallot, and sauté for 2 minutes.Sauté the bacon for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until it is beginning to get crispy edges. Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the diced bacon.Try to reserve as much of the juices in the shell as possible. Twist the knife to pry open the shell, and twist off the top of the shell using your hands. Slide a shucking knife into each clam to separate the flesh from the top shell.

Remove from the oven, and allow them to cool enough to handle. Broil the clams for about 5 minutes, or until the shells pop open.Dry the clams, then spread them on a baking sheet. Remove the clams from the water, taking care to not lift up the sand that has collected in the bottom of the bowl. Scrub the clams well, then let them sit in the bowl for 30 minutes. Fill a large bowl or jar with very cold and heavily salted water.

Easy clams casino recipe with hot sauce