Pierre Franey's Pasta With Clams

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup fresh clam juice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup (or more) heavy cream
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus more to taste
• 1 pint shucked chowder or cherrystone clams, coarsely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound fresh fettuccine
• 1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan, or to taste

1. In a 10- or 12-inch frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and fry the garlic until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
2. Add the thyme and clam juice and reduce by half, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the wine and reduce, about 2 minutes.
4. Add 1 cup heavy cream and simmer till the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Combine 1 cup of the basil leaves and the clams and add to the sauce.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Set aside and keep warm.
9. Cook the fettuccine until al dente.
10. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain.
11. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to coat.
12. Add Parmesan to taste.
13. Correct the seasonings.
14. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta water or additional cream, sparingly.
15. Simmer the pasta and stir until sauce is the desired thickness.
16. Add more basil to taste and serve immediately.

olive oil, garlic, thyme, clam juice, white wine, heavy cream, basil, chowder, salt, fresh fettuccine, parmesan

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10827 (may not work)