Serves 6-8

OMIT CHEESE & WINE ON STRICT FAST DAYS

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
• 4 leaves of fresh basil, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1⁄4 teaspoon thyme
• Pepper to taste
• 2 cans (28 oz ea) ready-cut, peeled tomatoes
• 1 bottle (8 oz) clam juice
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 5-6 cans (6 oz ea) chopped clams
• 1-1/2 pounds pasta
• Grated cheese

In a saucepan, gently heat the oil and saute the garlic until golden brown. Add the oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, pepper, tomatoes, clam juice and white wine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 1 hour. Ten minutes before serving, add the clams and heat gently until ready. In the meantime, cook the pasta al dente. I find it best to take half the sauce (the most liquid part) and mix with the hot pasta, tossing gently, and then making individual servints. Now, ladle generous heapings of the dense, clam-filled sauce on the individual servings. Perfect! Oh, and of course, grated cheese is okay!