Orecchiette with date tomatoes and clams, with Zucchi 100% Italian organic extra virgin olive oil.

Instructions

Leave the clams to stand in salted water in the fridge for at least an hour, so that they expel the sand. After this, put a pan of water on to boil, with the lid on, for the pasta. Drain the clams and put them in a large frying-pan over strong heat. Put the lid on and shake the frying-pan from time to time, so that the heat is evenly distributed. As soon as the clams have opened, take them off the heat and drain off the juice. Shell half the clams and leave them covered with film while you make the sauce. Filter the juice from the clams through a fine sieve to trap any impurities and set aside.

Chop the garlic very finely. Fry the garlic with the oil and chilli pepper in the frying-pan used to open the clams. When it starts to turn golden, add the cherry tomatoes, cut into segments, and a few torn leaves of basil. Add the juice from the clams, evaporate it off and keep cooking for 5 minutes.

As soon as the water boils, add salt and pour in the orecchiette. Cook as instructed on the pack. Drain the orecchiette 2 minutes before the end of the stated cooking time, setting a little of the cooking water aside. Pour the orecchiette into the frying-pan with the sauce. Finish cooking in the frying-pan, gradually adding a little of the cooking water if the sauce becomes too dense. As soon as the pasta is cooked, add the clams set aside and a generous dusting of chopped parsley. Complete with a generous dash of oil, stir a little to coat the pasta and serve at once.