SPAGHETTI WITH CLAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Soak the clams for a few hours or overnight in salt water to let them excrete sand. Wash the clams carefully in cold water. In a pan large enough to contain the clams, saute in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 garlic clove until golden. Add the clams, raise the heat, cover the pan and cook about 3 minutes or until the clam shells are open, stirring a couple of times. Remove the pan from the heat, let cool. Mince together the onion, basil, and remaining garlic clove, and place in the remaining olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Saute until barely golden and limp. Wash the tomatoes, remove the seeds and chop. Add them into the pan with the onion, basil and garlic. Add salt and a generous sprinkling of pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir, bring to a boil, add wine and simmer for 10- 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the clams from their shells, directly over the pan they were cooked in, to conserve all the natural juices. Set aside the clams, and strain the juices with the first garlic clove into a cup. Add 1 cup of the clam juice to the tomato sauce. Add the clams, cook another 5 minutes. cook the spaghetti in boiling water salted with 5 teaspoons of salt. When the past is al dente, drain thoroughly and place in a serving dish. Dress with the sauce, and sprinkle with the minced parsley. Toss and serve