Linguine with White Clam and Broccoli Sauce

You can chop the garlic if you like, but I prefer slices. They are mellower in flavor and become part of the texture of the dish. In most pasta dishes the idea is to make just enough sauce to coat the pasta lightly. When clam sauce is served with linguine, however, there should be a little extra broth. Other hard-shelled clams, such as Manila or butter clams, make a good substitute, but I love littleneck clams for this sauce. With this dish, as with many pasta dishes using long, thin pasta shapes, I prefer to cook the pasta very al dente and finish it in the sauce. It’s a balancing act—determining when the pasta is ready and the sauce is the right consistency—but you can always hold the pasta or the sauce for a minute or two, while the other one catches up.