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A bowl of pasta with clams, short tube-shaped noodles, orange sauce, parsley leaves, and pieces of sausage, served on a white plate.

Ditallini with Red Pepper Pesto, Clams & Sausage

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A coastal Italian–inspired pasta where briny clams meet spicy sausage, all bound by Red Pepper Pesto. The short ditallini shape catches the bright, smoky sauce in every bite.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American-Coastal, Italian
Calories: 3526
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ditalini pasta
  • 1 jar Bona Furtuna Red Pepper Pesto
  • 2 lbs fresh clams littleneck, scrubbed
  • 12 oz Italian sausage mild or spicy, casings removed
  • 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 1 shallot thinly sliced
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • red pepper flakes optional pinch

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Microplane
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Large sauté pan with lid

Method
 

Cook the Pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook Bona Furtuna Ditallini until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain and add to a bowl and stir in a touch of Bona Furtuna Everyday Olive Oil. Set aside.
Cook the Sausage & Build the Base
  1. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Break sausage into small pieces then add to the pan. Cook until browned, 6–8 minutes.
  3. Stir in garlic and shallot, cooking until fragrant and translucent, 2–3 minutes.
  4. Deglaze with white wine and add 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon Bona Furtuna Red Pepper Pesto, and butter.
Steam the Clams
  1. Add clams to the pan, cover, and cook until they open, 5–7 minutes. Remove them as they open up and discard any that don't open. Reduce the sauce until reaching your desired consistency.
Finish the Sauce
  1. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon Bona Furtuna Red Pepper Pesto and reserved pasta water, simmering until saucy.
  2. Toss in ditallini, lemon juice, and zest. Adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
To Plate
  1. Spoon pasta into shallow bowls, making sure each serving has clams and sausage. Scatter with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread for mopping up sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 3526kcalCarbohydrates: 369gProtein: 110gFat: 156gSaturated Fat: 46gPolyunsaturated Fat: 21gMonounsaturated Fat: 80gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 259mgSodium: 2660mgPotassium: 2265mgFiber: 16gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 1266IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 269mgIron: 13mg

Notes

Storage: pasta with clams is best eaten fresh, since the shells and delicate clam meat don't hold up well. If needed, refrigerate for up to 1 day and reheat gently with a splash of water.

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