Linguini with Clam Sauce (white)

This is a recipe I make often. It is a quick and easy dinner that everyone in my house eats (including my two children ages 4 and 8). I confess to using a little grated romano cheese on my serving, although my husband claims "real italians" do not put cheese on fish. I just tell him he doesn't have to eat from my dish!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 (10 ounce) cans baby clams
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle  clam juice (optional)
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 -6  cloves garlic, chopped fine or put through a garlic press
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  hot pepper flakes
•  black pepper, freshly ground
• 1  lb linguine
• 1⁄2 cup white wine

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in medium sauce pan- when oil is hot, remove pan from burner, add garlic and hot pepper and stir (you want to be careful to not burn the garlic).
2. Add wine and cook off the alchol, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Drain juice from both cans of clams into saucepan, adding additional clam juice if necessary, you should have about 3 cups of liquid, return to low heat.
4. Cook linguini according to package directions.
5. When pasta is ready, add clams to sauce and heat just until clams are heat through.
6. Be careful not to"overcook" the sauce once you have added the clams- the clams will become tough if you do.
7. Remove sauce from heat and serve over linguini. Enjoy!