Don't sleep on canned clams. They make an amazing fast-and-easy pasta dish.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile in a large pan, heat 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Sauté minced shallot and 4 minced cloves of garlic until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in 2 cans of chopped clams (with juices) and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of dry white wine (pinot grigio) and 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes then simmer for about 10-12 minutes until reduced. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley and season with black pepper.

Toss with pasta over low heat and add reserved pasta water until desired creaminess is reached. The starches from the pasta water will help thicken the sauce and season it.

Serve with lemon zest and parmesan cheese, if desired.