Fresh Clam and Noodle Soup

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• One 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups bottled clam juice
• 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Large pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
• 1/4 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces (1 cup)
• 2 pounds cockles or Manila clams, scrubbed
• Three 1-inch strips of orange zest
• Freshly ground pepper

1. In a large soup pot, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil until shimmering.
2. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic.
3. Cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the clam juice, stock, wine, tomato paste and saffron and bring to a boil.
5. Add the pasta, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until barely tender, 6 minutes.
6. Add the cockles and orange zest and cook uncovered until the cockles open, about 3 minutes; discard the orange zest.
7. Season the soup with pepper, ladle it into bowls and drizzle with olive oil.

extravirgin olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, clam juice, chicken, white wine, tomato paste, saffron threads, thin spaghetti, manila clams, orange zest, freshly ground pepper

Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/fresh-clam-and-noodle-soup (may not work)