Pasta con le Vongole

Method

1. 01

   Step 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan on medium heat with the minced garlic, a few parsley stems and the chilli peppers, if using. After a few minutes, take the parsley stems and chilli peppers out.

2. 02

   Step 2. Turn the heat up, then add the clams and the white wine, cover with a lid and cook for a couple minutes or until the clams start to open. As the clams open, take them out individually and transfer them in a bowl. Not overcooking the clams is important to ensure they don't develop a chewy texture.

3. 03

   Step 3. Once all the clams have opened and are out of the pan, cut the heat and leave all the liquid in the pan. Throw away any clams that is still closed after 10 minutes of cooking, as it means they were already dead. If you like, take some clams out of their shells to make them easier to eat.

4. 04

   Step 4. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti for about half the time given on the box. Keep the pasta water boiling.

5. 05

   Step 5. Take the pasta out of the water straight into the pan with the clam sauce. Finish cooking the pasta in the clam sauce on high heat, adding a little pasta water at a time, and tossing it often to prevent it from sticking.

6. 06

   Step 6. Once the pasta is al dente, cut the heat, then return the clams to the pan, add some minced parsley, then mix well. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a little pasta water; if it is too runny, leave it on the heat a bit longer.

7. 07

   Step 7. Serve right away.