Crab Pasta with Chili, Garlic, Lemon and Parsley

This 15-minute pasta with crab recipe is deliciously light and luxurious but packs a taste punch with the earthiness of garlic, the heat of chili, the zing of lemon, and the savoury freshness of parsley. Crabmeat is high in protein and low in fat, making this a low calories pasta dish. This is such an easy dish to make but sophisticated enough to impress your guests.

This is my version of linguine al granchio or linguine with crab, which is typical of Venice and towns along the Adriatic coast. I think curly pasta holds a sauce like this better than smooth linguine so I used fusilli lunghi bucati or long curly fusilli, which is traditionally served with Neapolitan sauces but, hey, I’m not Italian, so it works for me in this crab pasta dish.

I am a huge crab lover but it is a pain to prepare on a regular weekday so I usually have some canned or frozen crab meat for when I feel like making something like this quick crab pasta recipe. I’ve included a photo of both here so that you know what types of things to look for in the supermarket. Just make sure to steer clear of surimi, which is actually processed fish paste that is shaped to look like crab meat and full of nasties.

Canned crab meat is pre-cooked and will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks after you open it.

Frozen crab meat is generally raw and a higher quality but more expensive option.

Crab Pasta with Chili, Garlic, Lemon, & Parsley

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 150g dry pasta

• 125g crab meat

• A clove of garlic, finely chopped

• 1 red chili, finely chopped

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of half a lemon

• A bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

• Lug of extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt & Pepper

Method

• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to instructions. Meanwhile, chop and prepare your other ingredients. If you are using frozen crab meat, make sure to defrost it under running water.

• Gently fry the chopped garlic and chili in olive oil, add the lemon zest, and season. About 2 minutes before the pasta is ready, add the crab meat and toss gently in the ingredients. Add the lemon juice, a lug of olive oil, and half of the parsley.

Gently fry the aromatics in olive oil to release their aromas.

• Drain the pasta, keeping a cup of the cooking liquid aside. Toss the pasta through the crab mixture and season. If your mixture is drying out add a little cooking water to loosen it up and if preferred a little more extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately garnished with extra parsley.

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