- 8 ounces dried spaghetti
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup water
- 1/3 cup chopped shallot (2 large shallots)
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 12 littleneck clams
- 10 ounces canned baby clams, broth reserved
- 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
- 4 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, add the spaghetti, and cook to desired doneness, 6 to 9 minutes. Drain.
- Meanwhile, put the wine, water, shallots, and garlic in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the fresh clams, cover, and continue to cook over medium heat. Remove the clams when their shells have opened. Stir the broth from the canned clams into the saucepan. Cook a few minutes more, until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the buttermilk-and-cornstarch mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes more to thicken, whisking constantly. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, canned clams, oregano, basil, pepper, hot sauce, and chopped parsley.
- Combine the pasta and the clam sauce in a warm serving bowl and toss to coat. Garnish with the cooked clams, in their shells.