Clams Oreganata

Clams oreganata is a beloved Italian-American dish that evolved from a Southern Italian recipe for baked mussels. Calms were easier to come by in the eastern US and as such, this recipe was born.

When making baked clams, littlenecks are my clam of choice, which I top with a garlicky mixture of oregano-olive oil breadcrumbs, broil until crispy, and finish with a generous shower of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. They make a perfect one-bite appetizer that hits every note: sweet, briny clams, savory breadcrumbs, a little crunch, and just enough richness.

Shucking raw clams can be tedious and difficult for beginners, so while developing this recipe, I came up with a little shortcut to get the clams open easily. After that, the rest comes together fast. I now make clams oreganata just as often for almost any gathering, but make sure you keep a few for yourself before setting them out for guests! These tiny morsels are usually the first thing to go!

Key Ingredients 

• Clams: I use littleneck clams in this recipe because they’re small (a perfect one-bite appetizer!) and flavorful.
• White Wine: I recommend a Vermentino or Sauvignon Blanc. The citrus notes of both of these varietals echo the lemon zest in the recipe. Pick a wine that you will drink beacuse you’ll only need a little for the recipe, making the rest perfect to serve alongside! If you’d prefer to omit the alcohol, read on for alternatives. 
• Panko Bread Crumbs are larger than fine bread crumbs with a crunchy, assertive texture. I use them in this recipe because I love the contrast between the soft clams and the crisp texture of the panko. You can substitute fine bread crumbs here, but know that they will get soggy pretty quickly.
• Dried Oregano puts the oregano in oreganata! A herb in the mint family, dried oregano is a standard of Italian-American cuisine. 
• Lemon: This recipe uses both the zest and the juice as it balances the briny clams and cheese-infused oreganata.
• Parmesan Cheese has a dry, crumbly texture and a distinctively nutty flavor.
• Extra virgin olive oil adds richness and moisture to the oreganata. I recommend a buttery California olive oil in this recipe, like our California Arbequina. The smooth flavor plays wonderfully against the sweet baked clams. 

How to Make Clams Oreganata

Baking the clams in the oven for a few minutes really makes them much easier to open, but if you love shucking raw clams, have at it! After the slightly-tedious-but-quite-satisfying step of opening clams, this recipe comes together in a snap. 

• Clean and purge the clams. Using a stiff brush, scrub 50 littleneck clams (about 3 pounds) thoroughly under cool water. Fill a large bowl with cool water and 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Place the clams in the bowl and place the bowl in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. (Don’t soak the clams any longer than this, as this could kill them!) After they have soaked for at least 1 hour, carefully lift clams out of the water, leaving any sand behind in the bottom of the bowl.
• Bake the clams. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Place clams on a rimmed sheet tray and pour 1/2 cup dry white wine over them. Place clams in the oven and roast until just opened, about 5 minutes. (If a lot of the clams aren’t open after 5 minutes, return to the oven for 2 minute intervals until the majority of your clams have opened) Remove sheet tray from oven and allow to cool slightly.
• Make the oreganata. In a large bowl, add 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, the zest from 1 lemon, and 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons white wine. Using your hands, mix the oreganata until thoroughly moistened, with the texture of wet sand. Set aside. 
• Prepare the clams. When the clams are cool enough to handle, carefully pour any excess liquid off of the sheet tray. Place a medium bowl next to the sheet tray. Holding each clam over the bowl to catch any liquid, slide a butter knife between the two halves of the slightly opened clam and pry the top shell from the bottom. Discard the top shell into the bowl. Using the tip of the butter knife, gently disengage the clam meat from the bottom shell. Place the bottom shell with the free-floating clam meat back on the sheet tray and repeat with the rest of the clams. Discard any clams that didn’t open in the oven. 
• Stuff and bake the clams. Heat the broiler to the highest setting. Place a packed teaspoon of the oreganata mixture firmly on top of each opened clam, pressing lightly with your fingers to make sure that it stays within the shell. Broil until just browned and crispy, anywhere from 3-6 minutes, depending on your broiler. Make sure to check often so you don’t burn them!
• Finish and serve. Using tongs, transfer clams to a serving platter. Squeeze half of the zested lemon over, and garnish with 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

What is Oreganata?

Oreganata is a flavored-infused breadcrumb topping used in a variety of Italian-American dishes, including Shrimp Oreganata and Utica Greens.

Oreganata typically consists of bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, and cheese. I change out different types of breadcrumbs based on the texture I’m after. For this recipe, I opted to use panko and add Parmesan cheese as the base to give the clams a nice crunchy richness.

Make it Your Own 

With a short ingredient list, the world is really your oyster (clam?) when it comes to substitutions.

• Switch Up Your Shellfish: Can’t find littleneck clams? Try steamer clams, quahogs, oysters, or mussels! Note that each variety of shellfish will take a more or less time in the oven to open up, so make sure you do some research on your particular shellfish. You can definitely skip the oven steaming stem if you feel confident in your shucking skills here!
• Make It A Meal: After the clams have been broiled with their oreganata topping, remove the clam meat and topping from shells and toss with your favorite pasta. Top with more grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
• Make It Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs. Can’t find them? Try buzzing crispy rice cereal in a food processor until chopped into panko-sized pieces, and proceed with the recipe as written.
• Keep It Dairy Free: Omit the Parmesan cheese. The recipe works great without it!
• Make It Alcohol-Free: Substitute chicken or seafood stock for the white wine in both the steaming step and in the oreganata mixture.
• Herb Swap: Try using an Italian seasoning blend in place of the dried oregano in the oreganata. Fresh basil makes a nice substitute for the fresh parsley garnish.
• Spice It Up! Increase the red pepper flakes in the oreganata recipe from 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon. For even more spice, substitute 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 1 tablespoon of minced Calabrian chiles in oil in the oreganata mixture.

What to Serve with Clams Oreganata

• Host a pizza night, featuring Clams Oreganata as an appetizer and Tuna Pizza with Onions and Black Olives as your main course. 
• A Big Easy Italian Salad is a great pairing to turn Clams Oreganata into dinner. Nibble on Italian Pignoli Cookies for dessert.
• Throw a Mediterranean seafood appetizer party featuring Clams Oreganata alongside Egyptian Shrimp Fritters, Italian Seafood Salad, and Spanish Tuna Empanadas.