Spaghetti alle Vongole

Instructions

1. Soak the clams in cool water with a handful of coarse salt for ~2 hours to purge sand. Scrub the shells clean.
2. Place clams in a dry stainless pot over medium heat, covered, 2–3 minutes — NO oil, NO water — just to open them. Don't overcook or they turn rubbery. Discard any that don't open.
3. Strain the released liquid through a fine-mesh strainer to remove grit. This clam water is essential — save it.
4. Shell most of the clams (keep a few in-shell to garnish), holding them in a little of the liquid so they stay soft.
5. In a wide pan, heat plenty of olive oil with the whole garlic cloves, ~3 minutes over medium. Add the shelled clams and chili.
6. Stir and cook 1–2 minutes, then raise the heat. Instead of wine, add a ladle of the reserved clam water and a squeeze of lemon (or a non-alcoholic dry-white substitute), and let it bubble 1 minute. Add another ladle of clam water.
7. Cook over high heat ~5 minutes, then remove the garlic and chili. Stir in plenty of parsley and turn off the heat.
8. Cook the spaghetti in salted water, draining 1 minute early, and finish it in the clam sauce over high heat 1–2 minutes, stirring, so it drinks up the juices. Serve hot, garnished with the in-shell clams.