Recipe by Scott Conant. Serves 2-3.
Ingredients
1 3/4 pounds Manila or littleneck clams
Kosher salt
1/2 pound dried spaghetti
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
Large pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Wash the clams: Place in a large bowl of water and agitate with your hands. Let any grit settle to the bottom, then lift the clams out of the bowl.
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until only about three-quarters done; you should still see some white in the center of the spaghetti when you bite it. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.
While the spaghetti cooks, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large, high-sided saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and take the pan off the heat. Add the red pepper flakes and swirl the garlic around the pan to prevent it from overcooking. Add 3/4 cup of the pasta water to the pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat for a minute to create an emulsion. Add the pasta and the clams, cover, and cook until the clams open up and the pasta is al dente, adding more water only if needed, about 5 minutes.
Add the parsley to the pan and toss. Drizzle with the tablespoon of olive oil, season with additional sauce if needed, and serve immediately.
