My impulse buy of the day, today, was a bag of littleneck clams. I saw them at the store and the next thing I knew, I was planning spaghetti and littlenecks for dinner. Why not, eh?!?

There’s pretty much one recipe for spaghetti and littlenecks – with minor variations here and there – but it’s pretty much a single simple recipe. I switched things up just a bit by adding a very thinly-sliced fennel bulb to add a bit of vegetable and cut down on the spaghetti. You know… eating healthier, and all. Otherwise, it’s fairly classic.

Spaghetti and Littleneck Clams

• olive oil
• fennel, thinly sliced
• garlic, minced
• crushed red pepper
• white wine
• littleneck clams
• parsley
• lemon

Saute fennel until wilted. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Add white wine and simmer until it begins to reduce and fennel is cooked. Add clams, cover, and steam until clams open.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti. The goal is to have the spaghetti cooked and the clams cooked at the same time.

Add drained spaghetti to the clams, stir in the parsley and add a squeeze of lemon.

This is by far one of the quickest and easiest meals on the planet. I cooked a half-pound of pasta – it was the rest of the open package – and still made enough for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. It’s rather amazing – we actually are eating less.