Spaghetti Vongole

One of my favourite things to do when hosting is add a pasta course. It doesn't have to be complicated, but it is one of the most beautiful ways to elevate a dinner table and make your guests feel truly looked after.

This Spaghetti Vongole comes together in minutes, we are talking about 5 minutes of actual cooking, which means more time with your guests and less time in the kitchen. That is the kind of hosting I am here for.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp good quality olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

• 1 long red chilli, finely sliced

• 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley stems, finely chopped

• 1kg fresh clams (vongole), scrubbed and rinsed

• 200ml dry white wine

• 400g fresh spaghetti

• Small bunch of flat leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

• Cracked black pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large deep pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, chilli and parsley stems and cook gently for 2 minutes until softened but not coloured.

2. Meanwhile bring a large pot of well salted water to the boil for your pasta.

3. Turn the heat up high, add the clams and white wine and cover with a lid. Be careful, it may spit a little. Cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the clams have opened. Discard any that remain closed.

4. At the same time drop your fresh pasta into the boiling water. Fresh spaghetti will take 2-3 minutes so the timing works perfectly alongside the clams.

5. Using a slotted spoon, lift the pasta straight from the pot and into the pan with the clams. Add a generous splash of pasta water and toss everything together over high heat for a minute or two until the sauce is glossy and coats every strand.

6. Remove from the heat, scatter over the parsley leaves and finish with a good crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Elliot's Tips

• The pasta water is the sauce. The starchy water binds everything together and gives you that glossy, restaurant finish. Be generous with it.

• Don't overcook the clams. The moment they open they are done. Every second after that they are getting tougher.

• Lift the pasta straight from the pot. Using a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta directly into the clams means you bring a little cooking water with you naturally and everything comes together beautifully.

• Taste before you season. Clams are naturally salty so go easy until you have tasted the finished dish.