Quick and easy spaghetti with fresh clams

Quick and easy spaghetti with fresh clams is possibly one of the most popular fish pastas served where ever Italian food is served.

This dish is certainly one of Enzo’s favourites and when the clams were available, not a tear was shed over the boiling of a pot full of clams … not one! In fact, this is a photograph of Enzo’s spaghetti with clams after he had spend a few hours in the kitchen.

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Quick and easy spaghetti with fresh clams: Serves 4

• 1 kilogram fresh clams, cleaned and scrubbed
• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 500 grams spaghetti or vermicelli
• 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley/chives, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper

1. Discard any clams with broken shells or which are open.
2. Heat some oil in a saucepan and add the garlic and clams.
3. Cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and lift out the clam. Discard any that remained closed.
5. Remove the clams from the shell, saving a few for decoration.
6. Strain the liquid from the saucepan into a frying pan and add the meat from the clams.
7. Cook the pasta until al dente, drain and add to the frying pan.
8. Cook for a couple minutes, tossing frequently.
9. Adjust the seasoning, add the fresh herbs and serve.