Pasta tossed with Grilled Clams and Cherry Tomatoes

Bring the taste of summer right to your back yard! This recipe was prepared for the Phantom Gourmet.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

The Clams
12 or more littleneck clams
4 TB butter
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 lemon

The Pasta
1 lb your favorite pasta, cooked (whole wheat spaghetti is delicious with this dish)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Pepper to taste

Boil water and cook the pasta per package directions.

Preheat the grill.

Melt the butter in the microwave, and stir in the garlic and red pepper.

Scrub clams under cold water, and arrange them in a single layer on the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they pop wide open. While the clams are cooking, distribute the pasta to plates, and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Top each plate of pasta with an equal number of clams, arranging with meat side down. Spoon a little of the garlic butter into each clam. Distribute grape tomatoes around the clams, sprinkle the plate with shredded Parmesan, drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with black pepper, and serve.

Tip: Do not use any clams that are already open before cooking, and discard any clams that don’t open after grilling.

Tip: Seasoning on clams is great, but eliminate or go easy on the salt. Remember – clams grew up in salt water!

A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc goes perfectly with grilled clams.