Clams Kokkinisto

Robyn's Cookin''s Note:

I want to make sure the credit for this recipe goes to ICYREDD at allrecipes.com, because it is one of our all-time favorites!!! Of course I've modified it throughout the years, but I NEVER would have come up with something like this on my own. We literally make this about once a week (my boyfriend would probably be OK with it if we had it more than that). It's so quick and easy (we don't simmer for the full hour when we're short on time, but it's best when you can), totally different than our other "usuals," and it's healthy. Note that this recipe calls for two cans of clams...one drained, one un-drained. It's too liquidy with both cans of juice (even if you drain the tomatoes and add a full can of tomato paste).

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 4.0

• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, un-drained
• 0.5 (6 ounce) can tomato paste (I freeze the other half in a snack-sized ziploc)
• 1 (6 1/2 ounce) can clams, undrained
• 1 (6 1/2 ounce) can clams, drained (I freeze the juice in a sandwich-sized ziploc to use in other recipes...you get about 1/2 cup worth)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper
• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 8 ounces linguine, cooked (I used whole wheat)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and clam juice. (Put clams in refrigerator while the sauce simmers; they'll get tough if added now [they're pre-cooked].).
3. Season with bay leaves, red pepper flakes, oregano, and salt and pepper.
4. Cover, and simmer for 1 hour, until tomatoes begin to turn deep red in color and the sauce thickens.
5. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and clams near the end of the cooking time.
6. Serve over linguine and top each serving with feta cheese.