Clams with Bacon, Pasta & Olive Oil

This is the kind of dinner that feels like it took longer than it did — briny clams, crispy bacon, fresh parsley, and a tangle of pasta all brought together with a generous pour of Butter Infused Olive Oil and a splash of Red Wine Vinegar that brightens every bite. It's coastal Italian in spirit, effortless in practice, and the sort of thing you'll make on a Friday night when you want something genuinely special without a lot of fuss.

Recipe: Clams with Bacon, Pasta & Olive Oil
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 10 oz fettuccine or angel hair pasta

• 3 lbs clams (about 2-inch diameter), scrubbed

• 6 oz bacon, cut into small pieces

• 2 tbsp Butter Infused Olive Oil

• 2 tbsp Single Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

• ½ cup Red Wine Vinegar (or a dry white wine)

• 1 thyme branch

• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

• 1 lemon, quartered

• ½ tsp black pepper

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.

2. In a separate pot, bring 1¾ cups water to a simmer. Add the Red Wine Vinegar, thyme branch, salt, and pepper. Add clams, cover, and cook — stirring occasionally — until all clams have opened, about 10 minutes. Discard any that don't open. Remove the thyme branch, slightly drain the clams, and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

4. In a large Dutch oven, heat both olive oils over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

5. Add the clams and pasta to the Dutch oven and toss together, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen.

6. Stir in parsley and half the bacon. Toss to combine.

7. Transfer to a large serving bowl, scatter the remaining bacon over the top, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Why We Love It: The Butter Infused Olive Oil is what makes this dish. It gives the sauce a richness you'd normally expect from a cream-based pasta — without any heaviness. Combined with the brightness of the Red Wine Vinegar and the brine of the clams, every bite is perfectly balanced. Don't skip the lemon at the end; it ties everything together.

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