Italian Baked Stuffed Clams Oreganata
This recipe for Italian baked stuffed clams, or clams oreganata, brings together fresh littleneck clams, crispy panko breadcrumbs, and a burst of flavors from pecorino romano, parsley, white wine, and lemon juice. Perfect to kick-start any seafood dinner, this easy and delicious appetizer will transport your taste buds straight to the charming Italian coasts.
Servings: 24 clams
Calories: 49kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted Butter
- 2 medium shallots minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 dozen littleneck clams scrubbed clean
- Salt to taste
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the shallot and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for an other minute or two.
- Add the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, parsley and grated cheese, then stir until everything is fully combined.
- Heat another medium deep saucepan with a lid over high heat. Add the white wine and bring to a boil, then add the clams and put on the lid.
- After about 3 minutes, open the lid and remove any open clams to a bowl. Close the lid for another 30 seconds and repeat until all the clams have opened. Reserve the liquid.
- Add 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid to the breadcrumb mixture and mix to combine.
- Allow the clams to cool then twist off one side and keep the meat in the other, then arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Pack the filling into each clam so that it completely covers the meat. Pour the remaining liquid into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the clams are bubbling and starting to crisp, then turn on the broiler and broil for another 1-2 minutes, keeping a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Arrange the clams on a plate, sprinkle with more parsley and serve with extra lemon wedges on the side
Notes
- You can also use larger clams, like top necks, but you will need to either double the filling or reduce the amount of clams to 12.
- Most commercial clams have already been purged, but you can do it again to be sure they aren't sandy. Place the clams in a bowl of cold, salted water for about 30 minutes, then scrub clean and refrigerate until ready.
- Check to make sure the clams are all alive before cooking. A dead clam will be slightly open when raw. If a clam is open, give it a gentle tap. If it closes, it’s alive.
- The key is to cook the clams as little as possible so they don't get rubbery. Check the pot every 30 seconds and remove them as soon as they just begin to open.
- Some clams may take much longer to open - give them at least 10 minutes before giving up. If they don’t open up by that point, throw them away as they may be bad.
- You can also opt to shuck the clams and stuff them raw if you prefer, but I find it's easier to steam them open. They will not get tough as long as you remove them from the pot the second they open.
- Clams oreganata can be prepared and frozen for up to a month, then baked off right before serving. Reduce the oven to 425 and cook for 18-20 minutes before broiling.
Nutrition
Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.1mg
