Garlic Butter White Wine Clam Pasta

A classic Italian pasta dish that's simple to make, rich in aroma, and ready in about 15 minutes. Ingredients (Serves 1-2) Main: 160g spaghetti, 300g clams (purged of sand beforehand) Aromatics: 4-5 cloves garlic (sliced or minced), 1 dried chili (deseeded and sliced, omit if you don't like spice), fresh thyme or parsley to taste Seasoning: 50ml white wine, 15g unsalted butter, 1.5 tbsp olive oil, salt to taste, black pepper to taste Instructions 1. Cook Pasta: Bring a pot of water to a boil, add 1 tsp salt, and cook the spaghetti. Remove 1-2 minutes before the package suggests (reserve about half a cup of pasta water). 2. Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a cold pan over low heat. Add garlic slices and dried chili, and slowly sauté until the garlic is lightly golden. 3. Steam Clams: Turn the heat to medium-high, add the clams and white wine, immediately cover, and steam for about 2-3 minutes until the clams open. Remove the clams as soon as they open to prevent them from becoming tough and shrunken. 4. Reduce Sauce & Toss Pasta: Keep the clam broth in the pan. Add the cooked spaghetti and 2-3 tbsp of pasta water. Toss over medium heat, allowing the pasta to absorb the sauce. 5. Emulsify & Season: When the sauce has slightly reduced, add the butter and thyme (or parsley). Stir quickly until the butter is melted and the sauce becomes thick and emulsified. 6. Combine & Serve: Return the clams to the pan and toss quickly to combine. Sprinkle with a little black pepper and serve.