1 lemon
3/4 cup EVOO
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3/4 lb dried linguine
1/4 tsp crushed red chile flakes
2 lb. small clams (i.e. littlenecks), rinsed and scrubbed to remove grit
1/3 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; more for garnish

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Peel five 1-inch-wide strips of zest from the lemon with a peeler. Cut the lemon in half for juicing later.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon strips and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the garlic starts to brown around the edges, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and use a fork to pick out and discard the lemon strips. Transfer a little more than 1/4 cup of the oil) without the garlic to a small bowl.

Put pasta in water.

Raise the heat under the skillet to high and add the chile flakes and the clams. Cook the clams for 1 minute, shaking the pan. Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute. Cover the pan and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until allthe clam shells open, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard any clams that don’t open after another minute or so of cooking.

Finish cooking the linguine until it’s just tender, about 10 minutes total. Drain and add to the clams. Raise the heat to high and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing gently. Stir in the 1/2 cup parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 Tbs).

Add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately, topped with a drizzle of the reserved lemon-garlic oil and more parsley.

From 101 Quick & Delicious Recipes, Fall 2004