Preparation

• Sort and clean clams following the instructions in my Fresh Clams Guide.
• Cook linguine in a large pot of salted boiling water until it's about a minute shy of al dente, about 8 minutes.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a deep skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until garlic is lightly-browned and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add white wine, lemon juice, and clams, cover and steam until clamshells have opened, about 5-8 minutes.
• Reserve ½ to 1 cup of pasta water before draining the linguine. Whisk 3 tablespoons of butter into the simmering liquid.
• Add the drained linguine to the pan, tossing to coat and cooking for about 2 minutes until al dente.
• Stir the chopped parsley into the pasta and season with salt, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice to taste.
• You can either remove the clams from their shells and stir the meat into the pasta, or serve the pasta topped with whole clams.
• Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh lemon wedges, and remaining parsley. Serve immediately with crusty bread.