When artist, fabric designer and all around creative genius Lulu DK steps into the kitchen with Nathan Turner, they waste no time getting down to business. This pair cooks up a piping hot spaghetti alle vongole, a beautifully simple Italian dish of pasta and fresh clams. Things get interesting when Lulu proposes that they each swallow an Italian vitamin - a whole clove of garlic. Don't miss it!

SPAGHETTI ALLE VONGOLE

kosher salt
6 oz. spaghetti
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup white wine
2 lb. cockles, Manila clams or littlenecks, scrubbed
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

PREPARATION

1. Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season lightly with salt; add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain, reserving½ cup pasta cooking water.

2. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, swirling pan often, until just golden. Add red pepper flakes and continue cooking 15 more seconds. Add wine, then clams; increase heat to high. Cover skillet and cook until clams open and release their juices, 3-6 minutes, depending on size of clams. As clams open, use tongs to transfer them to a bowl.

3. Add¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to skillet; bring to a boil. Add pasta to pan. Cook over high heat, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and has soaked up some of the sauce from the pan. Add clams and any juices from bowl to pan, along with parsley, and toss to combine. (Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.) Transfer pasta to warm bowls and drizzle with remaining oil.