Freek van den Berg made this work of the southern French port of Palavas. Strong colors due to the high sun, and therefore lots of contrasts and hardly any shadow. Pure as the environment is captured with just a few colors. Do you see that restaurant on the right?

We immediately wanted a plate of pasta with clams when we first saw this work. Sunshine on your plate. Pasta with shells. Pasta Vongole or Pasta Clovisse as the French would make it. The Pasta Vongole is an unprecedented classic and is (also) made with just a few basic ingredients: spaghetti, garlic, red pepper, lemon, white wine, parsley and of course: shells. Vongole, as the Italians call the shells, are called Palourdes or Clovisse in France.

These shells occur naturally in the Mediterranean Sea, from the French coast all the way to Senegal. You can now also find them from our own North Sea, just like cockles. These are smaller and sandier than Vongole but can also be used for this dish. Shells are collected manually. And then diluted in basins for a day or so, where the shells spit out the sand. The taste of these shells is salty like the sea with firm, slightly sweet and lean meat. Also rinse them with salt water at home.

For the vongole, heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the garlic and halved cherry tomatoes briefly. Add the clams and fry for a minute or two. Then add the white wine and put the lid on the pan. Let simmer for about 3 minutes until the shells are open. Add the al dente spaghetti, red pepper and parsley, toss well and divide among the plates. Sprinkle the spaghetti Vongole with the juice of a lemon.

For the Pasta Clovisse, add thyme, oil and tomato puree to the pan. Then add the shells and stew briefly with some white wine and butter. Then add the cooked pasta and finish with grated gruyere and some parmesan.