Nduja + squid ink vongole

Method

1. Keep your clams in a bowl in the fridge with a damp tea towel over them. Before cooking, place the clams in a bowl of water under a gently running cold tap for about 10 minutes – this will encourage them to give up their grit.
2. Bring a large saucepan of very salty water to the boil. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan and fry the shallot and garlic for a couple of minutes, until softened. Add the nduja and cook, stirring, until it breaks down and melts into the shallot base, turning it red. Remove from the heat.
3. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. If you’re using home-made squid ink spaghetti this will only take 2 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1 tablespoon of the cooking water.
4. Return the nduja and shallot to the heat. Add the drained clams and white wine, and shake the pan to combine all the ingredients. Cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes, until the clams have opened (discard any that are still closed) and the alcohol has cooked out. Add the cooked pasta, parsley and the tablespoon of cooking water to the frying pan and toss everything together, so the pasta is cooked in the glossy emulsion. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Season with lemon juice and zest, drizzle with the remaining olive oil (or stir through the bottarga butter, if using), and serve, along with a bowl for the shells.