Spaghetti alle Vongole

Rinse the Clam under cold running Water, rubbing them gently with your hands to remove any sand on the shells.

Tap any open Clam firmly on the counter; if a shell stays open or is cracked, discard it.

Set the cleaned Clam in a colander over a bowl to drain while you prepare the other ingredients.

Peel the Garlic and slice it thinly so it softens and sweetens in the pan.

Finely chop a small handful of Flat-Leaf Parsley leaves, keeping a little aside for serving.

Zest about half a Lemon in fine shavings, then cut the Lemon into wedges to squeeze at the table.

Set a wide pan with a lid over medium-low heat and pour in a generous splash of Riviera Ligure.

Add the sliced Garlic and a pinch of Chili Flakes and cook slowly for 5–7 minutes, stirring now and then, until the Garlic is soft and pale gold at the edges.

Sprinkle in a small pinch of Salt and a twist of Black Pepper to wake up the flavors.

Turn the heat under the pan to medium-high and add the drained Clam, tossing them in the Garlic and Chili Flakes.

Pour in a small splash of Water to create steam, then cover the pan with the lid.

Cook for 5–8 minutes, shaking the pan a couple of times, until the Clam have opened. Lift out and discard any that stay closed.

Stir in most of the chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley and a pinch of Lemon zest, then lower the heat to keep the sauce just barely simmering.

Bring a large pot of Water to a strong boil and add enough Salt so it tastes pleasantly salty.

Drop in the Spaghetti and stir once or twice so they don’t stick together.

Cook the Spaghetti for 8–10 minutes, or until just shy of al dente, then scoop out about a cup of the starchy cooking Water and keep it aside.

Use tongs to transfer the almost-cooked Spaghetti straight from the pot into the pan with the Clam and their juices.

Turn the heat under the pan to medium and toss the Spaghetti with the Clam for 2–3 minutes, adding a splash of the reserved pasta Water at a time until the sauce looks silky and lightly coats the pasta.

Taste a strand of Spaghetti and adjust with a little more Salt, Black Pepper, or Chili Flakes if you like a bit more heat.

Right at the end, drizzle a thread of Riviera Ligure over the Spaghetti and scatter over the remaining Flat-Leaf Parsley and Lemon zest.