Spaghetti Viareggio Style (Tuscany)

Pasta

Ingredients

Baby clams- 4 pounds

Salt

Garlic - 2 cloves

Olive oil - 1 cup

Onion, thinly sliced - 1 small

Dry white wine - 1/2 cup

Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped - 1 1/2 pounds

Hot chili pepper - small piece

Spaghetti - 1 1/2 pounds

Parsley, chopped - 2-3 sprigs

Pepper

Soak the baby clams in salted water to draw out all the sand. Rinse them thoroughly and put them in a pan with the garlic and a few tbsps of the oil. Cook over a moderate heat, tightly covered, until the clams open. Take them out of their shells and reserve the liquor. Heat the remaining oil and saute the onion gently until golden. Add the wine and continue cooking  until reduced. Add the tomatoes and the clam liquor ; season to taste with the chili pepper and a pinch of salt and cook over a brisk heat for about 20 minutes.

Boil the spaghetti in a large pan of salted water until just tender. Meanwhile, add the clams and parsley to the tomato sauce, season with plenty of pepper and leave for a minute for the clams to absorb the flavors. Drain the spaghetti as soon as it is cooked, dress immediately with the hot sauce and serve at once.

Serves 6