Baked Clams Oreganata

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 36 littleneck clams
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper, chopped fine
• 2 cups coarse, dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup cubed (1/4-inch) peeled and seeded tomatoes (see Note below)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably the Sicilian or Greek type dried on the branch, crumbled
• 1 lemon, cut into thin slices

1. Let the oil and garlic steep in a small bowl 30 minutes to 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 475 F. Shuck the clams as described on page 7, reserving the clam juice.
3. Strain the juice through cheesecloth or a very fine sieve into a 13 x 11inch baking dish.
4. Add the white wine, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the parsley, the butter, and half of the crushed red pepper.
5. In a deep bowl, toss the bread crumbs, grated cheese, tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of the garlic-infused oil, the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley, the oregano, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper until thoroughly blended.
6. Top each clam with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the bread-crumb topping, packing it down tight.
7. Set clams in the prepared baking pan and drizzle the remaining infused oil over them.
8. Bake until the pan juices are bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
9. Transfer the clams to a warm platter or divide among serving plates.
10. To keep the bread-crumb topping crunchy, spoon the sauce from the baking dish onto the platesnot over the clams.
11. Serve immediately, garnished with the lemon slices.

extravirgin olive oil, garlic, littleneck clams, white wine, fresh italian parsley, unsalted butter, hot red pepper, coarse, cheese, tomatoes, oregano, lemon

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/baked-clams-oreganata-375030 (may not work)