An Italian Lunch

Mozzarella di Bufala, ripe Pachino Tomatoes, dried basilico, home made olive oil, salt and pepper: this is all you need for this fresh and wonderful Italian favourite, and also one of my favourite for its simplicity and wonderful taste.

The main dish was  "sautè" with various clams. Also this dish is extremely easy to prepare, the "longest" time to prepare it is the time you need to have the clams under running sweet water so that they will "spit out" all the sand inside. Then roast a bit of fresh garlic in a pan with good quality olive oil and if you like a couple of pachino tomatoes, throw in the shells, cover the pan and wait until all the shells are open. No salt is needed as the shell will release their salted sea juice.Add some fresh parsley, sprinkle with freshly grounded pepper, if you like some lemon juice but not too much or you will loose the smell and taste of the sea (if  you have use amalfi lemons as the juice is sweeter than regular lemon). Of course have some good rustic bread and forget bon-ton because you will not be able to resist to do what in Italy is called "scarpetta" or dip your bread like a sponge into this sauce.