Tagliarini alla Vongole

Ingredients

• 14 oz /400g tagliarini or other short ribbon pasta
• 1 lb 12oz /800gclams (around 15 per person)
• 5 tbsp /75ml olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup /120ml white wine
• 3 red chillies, deseeded and diced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 bunch parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped (or 3 1/2 oz /100g samphire, trimmed)

Instructions

1. 1

   Start by cleaning the clams. Soak them in a large bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes, stirring to help release the grit. Drain, then repeat the process three more times until the water looks clear.

2. 2

   Heat 45ml/3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat, add half of the garlic and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the clams, turn up the heat to high, stir to cover the shells with the hot oil, and quickly pour in the wine. Cover with a lid and cook for a minute or two until all the clams are fully open.

3. 3

   Place a colander over a bowl and tip in the clams, allowing the liquid to drain into the bowl. Set the liquid to one side. When the clams are cool enough to handle, pick half of them, discarding the shells, keeping the other half intact. Discard any that remain closed. Place the picked meat and intact clams into a clean bowl.

4. 4

   Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan and fry the rest of the garlic along with the chillies for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the clam cooking liquid, then reduce the heat to low while the pasta cooks.

5. 5

   Bring a large pan of water to the boil and season generously with table salt. If you’re using samphire, now is the time to blanch it: boil for 1 minute, then lift it out and set aside.

6. 6

   Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook for 1½–2 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the pasta to the saucepan of garlic and chilli. Increase the heat to medium, toss everything together, then add the clams and lemon juice and scatter over the parsley (or samphire). Mix well and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

7. 7

   Serve into four warmed bowls and toast the bounty of the seashore with a glass of chilled white wine.