Clams Oreganato
Clams Oreganato. Baked Clams. Stuffed Clams. No matter what you call them, they are a great appetizer and a perfect starter for your Christmas Eve fish dinner. It is very important that the stuffing stays moist and does not become dried out. If the bread crumb mixture feels too dry, you may have to add a little more oil, use your judgment.
This was a very popular appetizer at my dad’s restaurant. I will never forget the time when we had a relatively new waiter, and he came back with an order, “One clams oreganato, oregano on the side.” You want to talk about an explosion in the kitchen! My father and both of my uncles went nuts.
The Three Things That Matter
Keep the stuffing moist. This is very important, dry breadcrumb topping is the number one thing that ruins baked clams. The mixture should feel moist to the touch before it goes on the clams. If it feels dry, add a little more olive oil. Do not skimp.
Do not pack it tight. Pack the breadcrumb mixture loosely into each clam, about 2 teaspoons. Packed too tight and dense, it bakes into a hard plug instead of a light, crisp topping.
Use the clam juice. When you shuck the clams, save every drop of juice. That liquid goes into the pan before the clams do, along with a drizzle of olive oil and some parsley. It keeps everything moist and adds a layer of briny flavor you do not get from broth. It is the difference between baked clams that taste like the sea and ones that just taste like breadcrumbs.
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Clams Oreganato
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings (as an appetizer) 1x
Ingredients
- 24 cherrystone or littleneck clams, scrubbed
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped very fine
- 2–1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Shuck the clams, leaving on the half shell and reserving the juices(if you have the fish monger shuck them for you, ask them to reserve the clam juice for you). Strain the reserved clam juice through a cheese cloth or a fine mesh strainer.
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Combine the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix well. The mixture should be moist to the touch. If the breadcrumbs seem dry mix in a little more oil.
- Drizzle the baking pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the reserved clam juice and remaining chopped parsley. Pack about 2 teaspoons of the bread crumb mixture loosely into each clam and place them in the pan.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until done.
- Transfer the clams to serving plates and drizzle a little of the juice from the baking pan over each. Serve with lemon wedges.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
Substitutions
- Clam type. Cherrystones or littlenecks both work. Littlenecks are smaller and sweeter, cherrystones give you a bigger bite. Have the fishmonger open them and reserve the shells if you do not want to shuck.
- Bread crumbs. Plain, not seasoned. Panko gives a crispier top; fine dry crumbs give a more traditional dense topping.
- Grated cheese. A little grated pecorino or parmesan in the crumbs is a common addition, though seafood purists leave it out.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
- Make ahead: Mix the breadcrumb topping and open the clams a few hours ahead. Keep the clams covered and refrigerated, and top and bake just before serving.
- Storage: Best eaten fresh and hot. Leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated.
- Reheating: Reheat in a 350 F oven just until warmed and the tops re-crisp. Avoid the microwave, it makes the topping soggy and the clams rubbery.
FAQ
You will see both, and “oreganata” is the more common spelling online. On my father’s restaurant menu it was always “oreganato,” so that is the spelling I have kept. Either way it is the same dish: clams baked with a seasoned breadcrumb topping.
They are largely the same idea and the names are often used interchangeably. Clams on the half shell topped with a seasoned breadcrumb mixture and baked. Clams oreganato is a specific Italian version of baked or stuffed clams.
The topping was too dry going in, or they baked too long. The breadcrumb mixture should feel moist to the touch before you top the clams, add more olive oil if it feels dry. Having the clam juice and olive oil around the clams as they bake also keeps everything moist.
Yes. Ask your fishmonger to open them and give you the clams on the half shell. Have them reserve the juices too. This saves you the shucking, which is the fussiest part.
Both are baked clams, but the toppings are different. Clams oreganato is topped with a seasoned breadcrumb mixture, garlic, olive oil, and herbs, and baked until the crumbs are golden. Clams casino adds bacon (or sometimes pancetta) to the topping, along with bell pepper and often butter. Oreganato is the cleaner, more purely Italian-American preparation; casino is richer and smokier from the bacon.
