Stuffed and Baked Clams

Soak clams in cold water for 30 minutes. Scrub them under cold water. Discard any with cracked shells. Put clams in a large pot with the water. Cover and bring to a simmer. After 5 minutes, remove clams as they open and place them in a bowl. Discard any clams that don't open. Pour clam juices into a bowl. Remove the clams from their shells and rinse each one in the liquid to remove any sand. Separate the shell halves. Place half the shells on a large baking sheet. Place a clam in each shell. Strain the clam juice through a paper coffee filter into a bowl. Spoon a bit of the juice on each clam.

Preheat the broiler. In a medium bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Add some oil to moisten the crumbs. Spoon a small amount of the crumbs loosely on top of each clam. Broil 4 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned. Serve hot with lemon wedges.