Linguini and Red Clam Sauce

I was so excited to see fresh clams at the fish counter today. Immediately I thought of my dad. He loves Linguini in Clam Sauce. Cherry tomatoes are in season so I decided to combine the best of both worlds. Serve with a green or Caesar salad and you'll make everyone very happy.

Serves 6

3 pounds live clams in their shells, scrubbed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 stems oregano,leaves stripped and chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons of butter
8-10 basil leaves torn
black pepper

Bring water to a boil for the pasta and season it with enough salt to taste like sea water. Cook the pasta until it is almost al dente. While the water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil in a large pot with a lid over medium/high heat. Add the anchovy paste and stir to combine. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano, parsley and pepper. Saute until the tomatoes burst and the onions are soft about 8-10 minutes. Add the wine and reduce for 2 minutes. Melt the butter into the sauce and add the clams to the pot. Cover with the lid and cook clams until they open about 6-7 minutes. Remove any unopened clams and add the pasta to the pot. Toss the linguini with the sauce, add the basil, and adjust the seasoning if needed.