Spaghetti with clams (con vongole)

Classic pastas are frequently the best comfort foods; most of us have our favorites to fall back on when comfort is required. One of our favorites is the simple spaghetti alle vongole, spaghetti with clams in their shells. I first had this classic version on my initial trip to Venice in the late sixties, at Trattoria alla Madonna, near the Rialto. Now the tradition on every visit to Venice is to have our first lunch, at Trattoria alla Madonna, of spaghetti con vongole.

for the sauce:

• 50-60 small clams, Manila preferred
• six tablespoons olive oil
• one tablespoon chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
• one tablespoon chopped garlic
• one-half teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt
• one-third cup of dry white wine
• two tablespoons butter

for the pasta:

• one pound of spaghetti, spaghettini or linguine

Wash your clams: let them spritz in cold water for 5-10 minutes. Throw away any clams that are open at this stage (just get rid of them). Rinse the remainder in another bath of cold water, doing a little hand scrubbing if necessary.

Use a pan or skillet that is large enough to hold the sauce and the spaghetti when finished. Put in the olive oil and garlic. Medium heat. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the parsley and the red pepper flakes.

Add the clams (carefully). Add salt. Add the wine. Stir gently. Smell; when you no longer smell alchohol odor emanating from the pan (10-15 seconds), cover. The clams will steam open.

After a few minutes, start the clam checking process. Look under the cover and see how the clams are doing. Stir very gently. When all the clams have opened, remove the pan from the heat. (be reasonable: sometimes there will be clams that do not open, ever. Don't wait too long. Just stop and throw those clams away).

Cook the pasta short of al dente. One can say a minute before al dente, but you have to get your own feel for this. Drain well.

Put your pan back on medium heat; add the pasta; cook until the fluid reduces, but not entirely. The remaining broth is a special treat). By this time the pasta should be a perfect al dente. Stir in the butter. Serve immediately (with some crusty bread to dip in the broth!).