LINGUINE WITH GRILLED CLAMS AND BACON

SERVES4 (MAIN COURSE)

• ACTIVE TIME:25 MIN
• START TO FINISH:45 MIN

• 1/2 lb sliced bacon, chopped
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons hot red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 32 small (less than 2 inches wide) hard-shelled clams, scrubbed
• 3/4 lb linguine
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• EQUIPMENT:

  a 13- by 9- by 2-inch disposable foil pan

• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (high heat for gas), leaving about one third of grill free of coals (or, for a gas grill, shutting off one or two burners)
• Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Stir together oil, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and lemon juice in foil pan and put on grill over area with no coals.
• Grill clams on grill rack over coals, turning with tongs, until they open, 3 to 7 minutes, transferring as opened to foil pan and being careful not to spill their juices. (Discard any clams that remain unopened after 7 minutes.)
• Cook linguine in a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.
• Toss pasta with bacon, parsley, contents of foil pan, and salt and pepper to taste.

COOKS’ NOTE:

Clams can be cooked on the stove with 2 Tbsp water in same skillet used to cook bacon; bring to a boil, covered, then cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until clams just open wide, 6 to 10 minutes (discard any clams that remain unopened after 10 minutes).