Pasta alle Vongole in Rosso — Clams, Tomato, and Barely-There Chili

Place the clams in a large bowl with 1 L cold water and 2 tbsp salt. Leave to soak for 30 minutes, then lift them out by hand into a colander — don't pour, or the sand you've dislodged goes back over them. Discard any that are already open and don't close when tapped.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it lightly — about half a teaspoon — since the clam liquid you'll use later is already very saline.

Heat 40 ml of the olive oil in a wide, deep pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and chili. Cook gently for 2–3 min until fragrant and just turning golden at the edges. Don't let the garlic brown.

Turn heat to high. Add the clams in a single layer, pour in the wine, and cover the pan immediately. Steam for 3–4 min, shaking occasionally, until the clams have opened. Remove from heat at once — overcooked clams turn rubbery.

Discard any clams that haven't opened. Pour all the liquid from the pan through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a damp cloth into a bowl — this removes any residual sand. Set the clams aside.

Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until 3 minutes short of the packet's al dente time.

While the pasta cooks, return the pan to medium-high heat and pour in 150 ml of the filtered clam liquid. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan. Toss constantly, adding more clam liquid a ladleful at a time, as if making risotto. Cook 1 min.

Add the crushed tomatoes. Continue tossing for 2 more minutes until the pasta is just al dente and the sauce has emulsified and coats the strands. Taste — add salt only if genuinely needed.

Remove from heat. Add the clam meat and any clams you want to leave in the shell for presentation, the remaining 20 ml olive oil, and almost all the parsley. Toss briefly. Plate, scatter the last of the parsley, and serve immediately.