Steamed littleneck clams are a Rhode Island staple, thanks to the abundance of them in Narragansett Bay. At Giusto in Newport, Chef Kevin O’Donnell first steams the clams with guanciale, garlic, and white wine, in an Italian style. By adding mascarpone and potatoes, he references New England clam chowder. The dish is one of several on O'Donnell's menu that blends Italian and coastal New England techniques and ingredients, expertly done by a chef who has worked at acclaimed Italian restaurants like Del Posto in New York City and SRV in Boston.
The clams are served with a doughboy, a play on a classic Rhode Island snack that is comparable to a donut or zeppole. Traditional doughboys are fried dough discs that are typically sweet and covered in powdered sugar. Here, it’s savory, with garlic and a cap of dried yogurt to recall the powdered sugar. It’s perfect to sop up the extra sauce from the littlenecks.
Steamed Littleneck Clams, Chowder Style with Garlic Doughboys
Serves 4-6
For the Littlenecks
Ingredients:
1 small Yukon gold potato (should yield about 3/4 cup of potato puree)
High-quality finishing olive oil, preferably Olio Verde from Sicily
2 ounces guanciale lardons, preferably La Quercia
Cooking olive oil, as needed
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine
32 Rhode Island littlenecks, washed
½ cup water
½ cup mascarpone, preferably Galbani
2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt to taste
Method:
Peel and boil the potato in lightly salted water until completely tender. Once cooked, mash with a little finishing olive oil and mix until smooth. Be careful not to overmix so the potato doesn’t become gummy. Reserve in a container for later use.
In a large skillet with a lid, cook the guanciale over medium heat with a little cooking olive oil until it begins to soften and render some of its fat. Lower the heat and add the garlic. Cook until soft and fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and bring it up to a boil. Add the clams and the water. Cook covered for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the clams begin to open.
Once most of the clams have opened, add the potato puree and mascarpone and stir until smooth.
Continue to cook until all the clams are open. Finish with parsley, lemon juice, and more of the finishing olive oil. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
For the Garlic Doughboys
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon dry active yeast
¾ cup lukewarm water
1¾ cup bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon roasted garlic in oil, smashed
Vegetable oil for frying
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons powdered yogurt
Method:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, bloom the dry active yeast in the lukewarm water for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it becomes frothy.
Using the dough hook attachment, add in the flour, salt, garlic oil, and mix on low speed for about 5 minutes, or until the dough forms and starts to come off the bowl. Turn up to medium speed and continue to mix for an additional 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
Divide the dough into six even portions and form into rounds. Allow to proof at room temperature lightly covered with plastic wrap for about 1½ to 2 hours, or until they double in size.
Preheat a skillet with 1 inch of vegetable oil. Once the oil reaches 350 degrees, shallow fry both sides of each dough round until lightly golden brown. Season with salt to taste. Using a small mesh strainer, add the powdered yogurt and lightly tap with a spoon so the yogurt comes out slowly and evenly coats each doughboy.