Linguine with Clams

Steps

1. Sort the clams. Throw away any with cracked or broken shells, and any open ones that do not close when you tap them.
2. Scrub the clams under cold running water. Put them in a large bowl of cold water with about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and let them sit for 1 to 2 hours, changing the water once or twice, so they let go of any sand. Lift them out with your hands and leave the gritty water behind.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.
4. In a large, deep skillet with a lid, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and parsley stems and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Drop the linguine into the boiling water. Add the clams and the wine or water to the skillet, raise the heat to high, cover and cook, shaking the pan now and then, until the clams open, 4 to 8 minutes. Move the clams to a bowl as they open. Throw away any that stay closed.
6. Take out the parsley stems. If the liquid in the pan looks sandy, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with damp cheesecloth or a paper towel, then return it to the skillet. Pull about half of the clams from their shells and leave the rest whole.
7. When the linguine is still quite firm, about 3 minutes short of the package time, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
8. Add the linguine to the clam liquid in the skillet over medium-high heat. Toss with tongs for 2 to 3 minutes, adding pasta water a splash at a time, until the pasta is just tender and the sauce turns glossy and clings to it.
9. Return all the clams and any juices to the pan, add the chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil, and toss again. Taste and add pepper, and salt only if it needs it, since the clam juices are salty. Serve right away, with a bowl on the table for the empty shells.

Good to know

• Alcohol-free: the wine is optional. Neapolitan-style recipes open the clams with just a splash of water, or with nothing but the olive oil, and the clams make their own broth. For a little brightness, finish with a squeeze of lemon.
• No fresh clams? Use 2 cans (6 1/2 ounces each) chopped or minced clams. Drain them, saving the juice. Cook the garlic as above, add the canned clam juice plus one 8-ounce bottle of clam juice and simmer until reduced by about half. Toss in the pasta, then stir in the clams at the very end so they stay tender.
• Buy clams from a fish counter that keeps the harvest tags, and refrigerate them as soon as you get home.
• For a red version, crush one 14-ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes by hand and add them with the clams and wine, then cover and cook until the clams open.
• Many American recipes toss the pasta with 2 to 4 tablespoons of butter for a richer sauce.