Spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clam sauce) - for four.

400 gms spaghetti, 1 kg clams, 400 gms peeled tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, 1 spoonful of chopped parsley, 1 dl olive oil, salt, pepper.

Brush the clams thoroughly, wash them and place them in a large frying pan together with 1 dl of water. Cook them until the shells open. Remove the molluscs from the shells and keep them ready for use. Drain off the cooking water and keep this, too, ready for use. Put the garlic and oil in a saucepan and cook for 5 minutes over a low heat. Remove the garlic and add the mashed tomatoes and the water from the clams. Stir and cook over a low flame for 20 minutes. Boil the spaghetti in a large saucepan of salted water and drain "al dente". Add the molluscs and the parsley to the sauce and cook for one minute. Add the sauce to the pasta together with a pinch of pepper, mix and serve.