Clams in Olive Oil With Jamon and Pine Nuts

(Almejas Con Aceite De Oliva, Jamon Y Pinones) This recipe is adapted from "The New Spanish Table" cookbook. This popular dish is served at the El Suquet de l'Almirall restaurant in Barcelona, clams 'poached' in olive oil together with pine nuts and bits of serrano ham. Three simple flavors, each with its own elusively sweet aftertaste. And the dish is rediculously easy, to boot. For best results, use a lovely olive oil and good pine nuts, preferably imported from the Mediterranean, not from China. You'll want plenty of bread to mop up the sauce. Any leftover sauce is delicious tossed with pasta.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 cups  fragrant extra virgin olive oil
• 2  small garlic cloves, sliced
• 2⁄3 cup pine nuts
• 3  ounces  piece serrano ham, finely diced (or proscuitto)
• 2  lbs small clams, scrubbed (Manillas or Littlenecks)
• 2 -3  tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
•  crusty bread, for serving

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil and garlic in a wide earthenware cazuela, a very large heavy skillet, or a wide casserole over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and ham and cook, stirring, until the nuts just begin to color, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the clams, cover the cazuela, and cook until the clams open, 4 to 7 minutes depending on their size, shaking the pan occasionally. Discard any clams that don't open.
3. Serve the clams directly from the cazuela or spoon them into bowls, adding plenty of the cooking liquid to each bowl. Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve with plenty of bread as a first course.