Linguini With Clams ala Mike Tucker

4 slices good quality bacon, diced

Olive oil

One sweet onion diced

4 cloves of garlic chopped fine

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 dozen little neck clams

1/4 lb chopped clams

2 to 4 Tbs butter

Parmesan cheese

Crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper to tasted

1lb dried linguine

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Throw in a handful of kosher salt. The water should “taste like the sea”. Then take a large sauté pan, medium heat, a couple of glugs of olive oil, 2 to 3 Tbs, enough to coat the bottom. When the oil is hot, throw in the bacon, stir, when it starts to brown, 2 to 3 minutes, add the onion and turn the heat way down. You want the onions to turn soft and translucent, not brown. This should take another 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, stir until fragrant, about a minute. Then add the chopped clams. Stir for a minute, then add the wine, and about a half cup of the boiling pasta water. Turn the heat to medium high. Throw the scrubbed clean clams in the sauce and cover with a lid. Put the pasta in the boiling water. When the clams pop open, and the pasta is only half way cooked, like two minutes from perfect al dente, throw the almost cooked pasta in with the clams and another 1/4 cup of pasta water. Stir, turn down the heat to medium and cover for 2 more minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Add the butter, 1/4 cup Parmesan, parsley and crushed red pepper. Serve with more Parmesan for those that want it.