Name: Spaghetti Cozze è Vongole (Mussels & Clams)
Ingredients: • 1 glass of dry white wine; • 1 lb fresh mussels; • 1 lb fresh littleneck clams; • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; • 8 cloves garlic, minced; • 2 fresh green onions, chopped; • 1 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped; • 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped; • 1 tablespoon butter; • Fresh ground white pepper to taste

• 1 glass of dry white wine

• 1 lb fresh mussels

• 1 lb fresh littleneck clams

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 8 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 fresh green onions, chopped

• 1 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

• 1 tablespoon butter

• Fresh ground white pepper to taste

In a large frying pan, heat olive oil. Add green onion. Sauté for a few minutes, then add garlic. Cook for just a few seconds then add clams, mussels, wine, pepper and parsley (keep some parsley aside for garnish.) Cover with a lid and cook until all the clams and mussels are open. There is no need to add any liquid, the mussels and clams will produce enough of their own liquid that will eventually become the sauce.

Add the spaghetti cooked al dente (saving some spaghetti cooking water) and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add butter and mix well until the sauce becomes creamy, add some pasta cooking water if it becomes too dry. Remove from the heat, add basil, fresh ground pepper and the remaining parsley.

Chef's hint:

Add a little salt to the pasta cooking water, no salt is required for the sauce, the fluid produced from the mussels and clams tends to be salty.