Spaghetti vongole

Rinse the clams in cold running water, and scrub if necessary, then put them into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Salt generously and leave to stand at room temperature for an hour. Drain and rinse well to remove any grit or sand.

Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Cut open the chili, deseed and finely chop. Finely chop the parsley.

Put the spaghetti into a large pan of salted boiling water and cook for 6 minutes, until nearly done.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the garlic and chilli for 2 minutes.

Add the drained clams, and turn up the heat. Pour in the wine, cover cook for 2 minutes until most of the clams have opened. Discard any clams that are still closed.

Drain the spaghetti, reserving a bit of cooking water, and add the spaghetti to the pan along with the butter and a bit of cooking water. Toss well and cook for a minute, then stir through the chopped parsley, lemon zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide between four plates and serve immediately.