Fideos with Clams and Cauliflower

When I saw this recipe from Top Chef on Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy it looked irresistible.  Plus, we had cauliflower growing in our garden and this seemed like a good use for it.  I had never worked with fideos before, but it looked like a challenge I was ready to take on. I made this in my paella pan, not in individual dishes, and with the saffron and the clams, it felt a bit like paella's creamier, more sophisticated cousin.  

 I'll admit that I got perplexed a time or two while making this recipe, like how will a pound of pasta cook down to edible with only a 1/2 cup of liquid?  and how is this cream mixture not going to be positively soupy? I admit I didn't use the whole pound of pasta as it wouldn't all fit in my pan.  But keep the faith, stick it under the broiler, and it will all come out right, I promise.