cookbook,...Pasta and Rice, Spaghetti alla Vongole

Spaghetti Alla Vongole
(Spaghetti with Clams)

1lb spaghetti
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
pinch of red pepper flakes
4 dozen littleneck clams in their shells (I use cockles), rinsed and scrubbed
salt & pepper
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp butter

Put the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet (large enough to hold the clams and the spaghetti) over medium-high heat and cook until the garlic begins to sizzle. Stir in the parsley and the red pepper flakes.
Add the clams in their shells, season with salt and stir well. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the alcohol evaporated: about one minute, then cover the skillet to steam the clams open.
While the clams are steaming, bring 4 quarts of water to the boil in a large pot.
Check the clams frequently, and when they have all opened, remove the skillet from the heat, discard any that do not open.
Add the salt and pasta to the boiling water, stirring well. When the pasta is about 1 minute from being al dente, remove from heat and drain well.
Immediately, return the skillet with the clams to a medium heat and add the drained pasta so that it finishes cooking in the skillet. Cook until the pasta is al dente and most of the liquid in the skillet has evaporated. Stir in the butter and serve immediately.