It was a bit sad last week leaving Summer in Rome especially on a hot and balmy night. How sophisticated to remain at the beach, shower, slip into dining attire and watch the sunset from the al fresco restaurant? The Italians just do it in style don't they?

Spaghetti Vongole at the beach in Ostia was a marvellous way to ease my pain, and also give me a lesson in how the Romans have perfected this dish.

I have eaten it all over Italy and it is never as good as it is in Rome! But why?

My friends invited me to have a peep in the restaurant kitchen just to see Chef's method .

First- I think we have to consider the flavour of these little critters inside their shells. It tastes like you are actually eating the sea!

In Australia we have larger more meaty versions, but the flavour is not as good. ( they are called pippis )

The most important thing, obviously, is that they are fresh and then soaked for a few hours in water in order to get the sand out.

As you see from the photo, the flame is high and the olive oil is hot. With a little garlic and pepperoncino, the shells are cooked very quickly and so they open immediately the heat hits them. I thought they were just saying "hello" as they woke up and opened . And the aroma just turns your taste buds on edge!

The spaghetti needs to be slightly less than al dente when you pull it out of the boiling water. Then comes the critical part. Add back a ladle or 2 of the pasta water to the frypan and move the the pasta and the Vongole around vigorously with the flame high.

This creates the sticky, yummy, chewy sensation with the pasta. It is not elegant, but biting the Vongole from their shells and sucking up the juices is the only way to go. Are you salivating ?

I am off to Sunday lunch in Melbourne . I think to commemorate my last night in Italy, I just may have Spaghetti Vongole

BUON APPETITO A TUTTI !!

[CUISINE ADAGIO] Spaghetti Vongole, Melbourne