Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES 4-6 servings

- 1/3 cup (3 fI oz/80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup (1/2 oz/15 g) minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- Sea salt
- 1 Ib (500 g) linguine or spaghetti

Named after its primary ingredients, aglio (garlic) and olio (oil), this simple pasta dish depends on using a good-quality, flavorful extravirgin olive oil. Without it, the naturally bold flavors of the garlic and red pepper flakes will dominate the sauce, rather than blend with the oil that forms its base.

In a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until the garlic is golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and remove the pan from the heat.
Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the linguine, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package directions.
Just before the linguine is cooked, reheat the sauce over medium-low heat. When the pasta is ready, scoop out and reserve about 2 ladlefuls of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add to the sauce in the pan and stir and toss over low heat until well coated with the sauce, adjusting the consistency with some of the cooking water if needed. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve at once.

Buon appetito!

 MAKES 4 servings

- 2 Ib (1 kg) Manila or other small clams or cockles, scrubbed
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) dry white wine
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Ib (500 g) linguine or spaghetti
- 1/2 cup (4 fI oz/125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
- Large handful of fresh fiat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

The best clams for this pasta are Manila or littlenecks. Choose the smallest ones you can find, as they are the most tender. Tiny New Zealand cockles, now widely available in many fish markets, are another excellent choice, though they result in a more delicately flavored sauce.

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, put the clams in a separate large saucepan or pot, discarding any that do not dose to the touch. Pour in the wine, piace over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring the clams occasionally, until they start to open, 2-3 minutes. Pull each clam from the pot as it opens and piace in a large bowl (some take longer than others; if you leave them ali in the pot, the early openers will be overcooked). Discard any clams that fail to open. Strain the clam broth through a paper coffee filter or a fine mash sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth (mislin) into a bowl and the aside.

When the water is boiling, add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the linguine, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved clam broth and the lemon juice and simmer over low heat unti] slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt, if necessary.
Drain the linguine well and add it to the sauce in the pan. Add the clams in their shells and any juices that have accumulated. Stir and toss well over low heat for about 1 minute to coat the pasta. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl, add the parsley, and toss gently. Serve at once.

Buon appetito!