Why are those clams so happy? It’s a bit like that Larry bloke, I always wondered why he was so cheerful, too. Anyway, it doesn’t take much to make me happy and the sight of fresh clams on the fish counter at Waitrose brings genuine joy to my heart. 
It transports me to one of my favourite places in the world, Chez Black in Positano on the Amalfi coast, where they do possibly the best spahetti alla vongole in the world.
I couldn’t claim to recreate that perfection, but buy those beautiful little clams and make this unbelievably simple recipe. You will need at least 800g of fresh clams, rinsed thoroughly in cold water and any open ones discarded,( treat them the same as mussels), 1 packet of spaghetti dried or fresh, 2 shallots or 1 small white onion, chopped, 4 cloves of garlic, crushed, 1 tablespoon of olive oil,1 handful of chopped fresh parsley, half a glass of dry white wine, a knob of salted butter. Some people like to add a little red chilli or even tomato, but I like to keep mine simple. 
Method: Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions and whilst it’s boiling, place the olive oil, chopped shallots and crushed garlic in a heavy bottomed pan over a medium heat and cook until soft, but not brown, add the white wine and bring to the boil. Add the clams and keep the heat high, place a lid on the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes shaking occasionally. Add the parsley, the drained cooked spaghetti and stir in the butter. Season with black pepper and salt to taste, the clams can be quite salty so do taste first. Pour yourself a glass of wine and relax, this makes a lovely supper or is a good starter or rustic main course for a dinner party.
The Bombay Boys 