LINGUINE WITH FRESH CLAMS My mother used to make spaghetti with clam sauce using clams from a can and plenty of bacon to liven things up But clam spaghetti day was never a favorite among the Alt children, and I blame it on those canned clams The problem with them is that during the canning process, they get cooked Overcooked, that is Open up a can of clams, and you’re already dealing with clams that are rubbery and bland The only way to truly appreciate clams is to start with fresh live ones (or, at the very least, freshly shucked or frozen clams) and cook them as briefly as possible The great thing about fresh, live, in-the-shell clams is that like they make their own sauce when you cook them All you need is a little bit of stock or wine to get them going, and then the flavorful liquor inside bulks out the rest of your sauce When you buy fresh clams, make sure that they are either tightly closed or that they clam up when you tap on them Clams that are gaping open are dead and should be avoided NOTE: For best results, use fresh clams If they are unavailable, you can substitute 12 ounces frozen or canned clams, thawed if necessary and drained Add to the skillet in step 1, along with the wine and butter Immediately remove from the heat and proceed as directed SERVES 4 TO 6 Kosher salt 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 12 medium cloves garlic, 4 smashed and left whole, 4 finely sliced, 4 minced or grated on a Microplane ẳ to ẵ teaspoon red pepper flakes ẵ cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons butter 2 pounds littleneck clams 1 pound linguine ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley ...Immediately remove from the heat and proceed as directed SERVES 4 TO 6 Kosher salt 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil