- 5 cups water
- 1 cup quick-cooking polenta or fine cornmeal
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped into ¼-inch dice
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 20 littleneck or manila clams, scrubbed and rinsed
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup finely chopped italian parsley
- Bring the water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Add the polenta in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the polenta is as thick as porridge, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover the pan tightly with a lid or plastic wrap to keep the polenta warm.
- In a 12-inch sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until the onion is softened and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the clams and wine, cover, bring to a boil, and cook until all the clams have opened.
- Add the parsley and cook, stirring, for about 20 seconds.
- Divide the polenta among four plates and spoon five clams over each puddle of polenta. Spoon the cooking juices over the clams and serve immediately.