Happy together

Much as I love spaghetti, it can never hope to aspire to that place in my heart especially reserved for its Asian cousin — pancit Canton (egg noodles). It’s a cultural thing, I guess, although you could argue that spaghetti is more versatile. Have you tried egg noodles with cream or tomato sauce? Can you even imagine it?

How about clams? Well, we add shrimp and squid to pancit, so why not those? It just so happens that Manila clams — the same ones you find in any Philippine wet market — are also available in Italy (they’re farmed there, actually), and if they are good with spaghetti, as in the famous Neapolitan alle vongole, shouldn’t they go well with pancit Canton too?

They do, and I have been kicking myself for not attempting it sooner. Clams exude a flavorful and incredibly briny broth that could jumpstart KC Concepcion’s flagging career. Or at least inject new life into pancit Canton. Let’s face it: when was the last time Canton (never mind KC) struck you as exciting? Mine was when Lucky Me was introduced in the early 1990s, but I’m not sure if that counts. Besides, it could be argued that Lucky Me bastardized pancit Canton — in which case you would be picking a fight with me. Like I said before, instant and authentic pancit Canton each bring their own unique pleasures to the table, and I would never choose one over (much less mistake it for) the other.

That said, I could not be more happy with this new partnership. Canton and clams: who imagined they had such natural chemistry? Apart from spaghetti with meat sauce, you do have to wonder if there is at all any pasta pairing the Italians have not thought of first. Well?

Pancit Canton with Clams

You can jazz up this basic recipe by adding other meat and/or vegetables, but you’ll be stealing the show from the clams. They deserve better. The dish appears simple and that is part of the appeal; the surprise is in how much flavor the clam broth extends to the noodles. This is definitely not your grandmother’s pancit. Give it a fair shot.

• 500 grams live clams, cleaned
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ kilo dried egg noodles
• white pepper
• chopped spring onion greens, to garnish
• sliced kalamansi (1 per person)

1. In a large pan over medium heat, pour two tablespoons of oil and sauté garlic until opaque.
2. Add clams, turn up the heat, stir a few times, then cover. Leave for 3 to 5 minutes or until clams have opened and released their juices.
3. Remove clams from pan and discard any that remain closed. (You can pick out the meat from half of the shells so as not to overcrowd your serving plate later.)
4. Add sugar and water to the remaining broth (it will be very salty otherwise). Let come to a boil, adjusting to your taste.
5. Throw in dried noodles and mix/toss well. Cook until al dente (or however you like your pancit). Add more water as needed.
6. Put clams back into the pan and toss gently. Add white pepper and season to taste. Garnish with spring onions and serve with kalamansi on the side.