When it comes to pasta there are two things I really love: a good white pasta sauce whether it be a creamy alfredo or a lighter white wine lemon sauce and I also really really love a tomato red sauce. When creating this recipe, I truly couldn’t decide between the two!

Tomato flavors with tender pasta noodles are so satisfying, but then again sometimes its good to change it up. So, I decided to do a lighter white wine lemon sauce with the addition of blistered tomatoes. The blistered tomatoes give the dish that nice juicy tomato flavor without being a tomato red sauce. It was the perfect compromise if you ask me!

Also, when creating this dish, I wanted this pasta dish to be just like how my whole body gets when I have to give a speech...clammmyyy. Ha. Sorry, not all puns are going to be winners. Anyways, this light, bright, vibrant, fresh and comforting Pretty Plate screams summer vibes. I made this dish when I was out in sunny Arizona. So, at that point in time, I was definitely feeling all of those summer vibes with the warm weather and bright shining sun.

Now, when it comes to preparing the clams, I have a few do's and don't's:

• Do not purchase them too far in advanced. I only purchase them about a day in advanced max. It is best to purchase same day use, but I understand you want to plan things out ahead of time or you don’t want to make two trips to the store.
• After purchasing them you want to make sure to let them breath. So, I open the bag up and place it on a plate and place them in the fridge to breathe.
• Make sure the clams stay closed, if any of them open gently tap them to close them up again.
• Before you soak them, you will want to wash and gently scrub their outside shells to remove any debris and barnacles attached.
• You will want to soak them only right before you are cooking them. If you keep them in water any longer than 30 minutes they will drown and the dish will be wasted.
• Soak in salt water for 20 -30 minutes max. This help release any sand or other particles that could be inside and outside of their shells.
• When done soaking them DO NOT DRAIN/STRAIN. You will want to remove them with a slotted spoon. If you drain, strain or dump them you can risk cracking their shells and all of the debris, sand or particles that have floated to the bottom will just get dumped right on top of them again. So, slotted spoon only.

Now, I hope that helped! I can feel it, you are ready to rock and roll. You are well on your way to this dreamy summer dish and staying carbohydrated!

Did you make this? If so, make sure to tag and follow @prettyplatebymichelle on instagram or leave a comment below and let me know what you thought! I would love to see your Pretty Plate and hear from you!