CLAMS CASINO

Clams Casino was created in 1917 at the Little Casino at Narragansett, Rhode Island and has been a huge hit ever since. This dish has been a favorite Italian-American Classics, mostly in restaurants. The dish was hugely popular in the 1970’2 and 80’ s but has cooled off on popularity in recent years. It’s still quite popular, but not so much as in those peak years when it was on just about every single Italian Restaurant menu in America. Never the less, it’s tasty as heck, and still has a great place in the Italian-American Culinary World.

Recipe:

24 Littleneck Clams (or Cherrystones) 6 Bacon Strips.

Cook till lightly browned

½ pound Butter, soft at room temperature

1 small Red Bell Pepper, cleaned and diced fine

1 Green Bell Pepper, cleaned & diced fine

4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and minced fine

6 tablespoons Fresh chopped Parsley Salt & Black Pepper

1/2 cup Plain Bread Crumbs

Wash clams and place in a large pot with half a cup of water. Cover pot and turn on flame to high. Steam clams in covered pot just to the point that they have all opened. You need to mix the clams around in the pot with a wooden spoon while they are cooking. Cover pot after mixing. As soon as all the clams are opened remove from heat and set aside to cool. Dice 2 of the Bacon Strips fine and place in a mixing bowl with all remaining ingredients, except the bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt & black pepper. Mix all ingredients into the softened butter with a wooden spoon. After the clams have cooled, remove from pot and remove the top part of the calm shell while leaving the meat of the clam in the bottom half shell with any remaining juices from the clam (do not discard clam juice). Cut bacon into little squares that will fit into the clam shells. Place about 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture over the top of each clam.

This Recipe is Excerpted from SEGRETO ITALIANO  by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

SEGRETO ITALIANO

SECRET ITALIAN RECIPES

and FAVORITE DISHES

by Daniel Bellino “Z”

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