Spaghetti alle vongole

Step 1: Rinse 2 ¼ lb live clams under cold running water. Tap any open ones sharply on the worktop: throw away any that don't close, and any with cracked shells.

Step 2: Bring 4 litres of water to the boil and add 2 tsp salt. A common mistake is salting it as heavily as usual; the clam juice brings plenty of salt of its own.

Step 3: Cook 14 oz spaghetti for 2 minutes less than the packet says. Keep a mugful of the cooking water.

Step 4: While the pasta cooks, warm two-thirds of 4 ¼ tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large, wide pan with a lid over a medium-low heat. Add 3 cloves garlic and ½ tsp dried chilli flakes and cook gently until the garlic is pale gold, not brown.

Step 5: Turn the heat to high, add the clams and half of ⅓ oz flat-leaf parsley, then pour in ½ cup dry white wine and cover at once.

Step 6: Cook, shaking the pan, until the clams open, 3–4 minutes. Lift the lid and pick out any that stay firmly shut: they must be thrown away, not forced open.

Step 7: Drain the spaghetti, add it to the clams and their juices and toss over a high heat for 2 minutes with the rest of 1 ¾ tbsp extra virgin olive oil and a splash of pasta water, until the pasta is al dente and the juices have thickened into a light sauce.

Step 8: Toss in the rest of ⅓ oz flat-leaf parsley and serve straight away, with a bowl on the table for the empty shells.