Spaghetti alle Vongole

Method

1. Put 300 g of clams in a bowl of cold, well-salted water and leave to purge for 1 hour, changing the water twice. Tap any clam that gapes open against the sink: if it does not close, throw it away. Rinse well and drain.
2. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and salt it lightly — the clams bring their own salt. Have 100 g of spaghetti ready by the stove.
3. In a wide frying pan or sauté pan set over medium-low heat, warm 1 tbsp of olive oil with 1 thinly sliced garlic clove and 0.5 crumbled dried chilli. Let the garlic sizzle gently for about 1 minute until it smells sweet and just turns pale gold — do not let it brown.