Briny, buttery, and spicy: This is the linguine with clams you’ll make on repeat.

Ingredients

• 1 small dried chile de árbol, unseeded
• 1/3 cup loosely packed bonito flakes
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
• 1/4 cup panko (japanese-style breadcrumbs)
• 1/3 cup, plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons furikake
• 3 tablespoons, plus 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 4 quarts tap water
• 1 pound uncooked linguine
• 8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 3 dozen littleneck clams, purged and scrubbed
• 1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh tender herbs (such as chives, flat-leaf parsley, and tarragon)

Directions

1. Finely chop chile and bonito flakes separately and transfer to a small bowl. Add butter and lemon zest and mash with a spoon until thoroughly combined. Freeze bonito butter until ready to use. (Butter will last up to 1 month in the freezer and up to 1 week in the refrigerator).
2. Cook panko and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small skillet over medium, stirring constantly, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in furikake and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; set aside.
3. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan or pot over high. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of the salt. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 7 minutes.
4. A few minutes before dropping the pasta, heat remaining 1/3 cup oil in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add garlic, and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add wine and clams and increase heat to medium-high. Cover and cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until clams open and are just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer clams to a large bowl. Discard any clams that do not open.
5. Using tongs, lift cooked pasta from pot and transfer directly to Dutch oven, reserving cooking liquid in pot. Cook, over medium, stirring often and gradually adding bonito butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until a loose but creamy sauce forms, about 5 minutes. Add clams and herbs to Dutch oven and toss to coat. Add a little of the pasta cooking water if necessary to maintain a creamy consistency. Divide pasta among bowls and top evenly with panko mixture. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.