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‡ Go to www.goodfishbook.com for a demonstration of how to clean a geoduck.

PAIRING: Junmai-shu sake or a northern Rhône white.

homemade fettuccine with clams and marjoram

Kosher salt

2 pounds clams, scrubbed

½ cup dry white vermouth

2 sprigs fresh marjoram, plus

1 tablespoon chopped

marjoram leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

10 ounces Homemade

Fettuccine (recipe follows)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 cup roughly chopped fresh

or canned tomatoes

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh

Italian parsley

When I was a little kid, I knew I had “arrived” in the culinary sense when my dad tapped me to make his signature clam dip. I think, if memory serves, it consisted of sour cream, canned clams, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and some more Tabasco. Fritos were involved. This dish is worlds away from that dip (best eaten while watching the New York Islanders play hockey), but chopping the clams brings me right back to my childhood kitchen, standing on my tiptoes and splashing hot sauce all over the counter.

SERVES 4 AS A LUNCH OR LIGHT DINNER

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a heaping tablespoon of salt.

In the meantime, in a medium saucepan, add the clams, vermouth, marjoram sprigs, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cover the pot for 3 to 5 minutes, or until all the clams open. (Any clams that do not open can be pried open using an oyster shucker or discarded.) Using a colander, strain the juice into a bowl. Then pour the juice through a fine mesh strainer or coffee filter to further remove any sediment (this is especially important if you are using wild clams, which tend to be sandier than farmed) and set aside.

Remove the marjoram and thyme sprigs and discard. Separate the clams from their shells (make sure to scrape out the adductor muscle where the clam attaches to the shell—it’s tasty!). Chop the clams into small pieces and set aside.

Boil the pasta until it is just barely al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the butter, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. After a minute, add the tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped clams, marjoram leaves, parsley, pasta, and reserved clam liquor. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes, or until some of the sauce has been absorbed and the pasta is al dente. Check for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Serve immediately.

PAIRING: An Orvieto, such as Antinori Campogrande Orvieto Classico, Tuscany, Italy, or a pinot grigio.

HOMEMADE FETTUCCINE

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive

oil

1 tablespoon water, plus more

as needed

People are always shocked when they realize that making pasta dough takes ten minutes tops. The skill comes in rolling the dough, and here, practice makes perfect. Two tips that will help your experience: First, when mixing and rolling the dough, you can always add flour to make a slightly wet dough dryer, but I find it much harder to add moisture back to a dry dough. Second, never clean your pasta machine with water. The moisture will trap flour bits that will tear your dough or make it stick when you roll it out. Dust your machine with flour and clean it with a brush before storing. One more note: You can roll out your dough by hand and eschew the machine. You will earn my respect. I did it once and understood immediately why Italian nonnas could crush my little pea-head in their massive biceps. This recipe doubles easily for larger groups.

MAKES 10 OUNCES FRESH PASTA

Making the dough in a food processor: Add the flour, salt, eggs, olive oil, and water to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture comes together into a ball. If it should appear a bit dry, add small amounts of water until it comes together. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Knead