📝 About This Recipe
Transport your senses to the Italian coast with this elegant, vibrant pasta that celebrates the delicate sweetness of premium crab meat. This dish strikes a masterclass balance between the heat of fresh red chilies, the zesty brightness of organic lemons, and the rich, silken texture of a light garlic-butter emulsion. It is a sophisticated yet deceptively simple pescatarian masterpiece that proves high-quality seafood needs little more than a few perfectly chosen companions to shine.
🥗 Ingredients
The Pasta
- 500 grams Linguine (high-quality bronze-die pasta preferred)
- 2 tablespoons Sea Salt (for the pasta water)
The Seafood
- 400 grams Fresh Lump Crab Meat (picked over for shells, a mix of white and brown meat for depth)
Aromatics and Sauce
- 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold-pressed)
- 30 grams Unsalted Butter (cubed and chilled)
- 4 pieces Garlic Cloves (very thinly sliced)
- 2 pieces Red Bird's Eye Chili (finely deseeded and minced)
- 100 ml Dry White Wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- 2 pieces Lemon (zested and juiced)
- 1 piece Shallot (finely diced)
Finishing Touches
- 1/2 cup Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Chives (finely snipped)
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly cracked)
- 1 pinch Flaky Sea Salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Bring a large pot containing 5 liters of water to a rolling boil. Add the 2 tablespoons of sea salt; the water should taste like the ocean.
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2
Add the linguine to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions. You want it 'molto al dente' as it will finish cooking in the sauce.
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3
While the pasta cooks, place a large, wide skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and the chilled butter cubes.
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4
Once the butter has melted and begins to foam, add the finely diced shallots. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent but not browned.
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5
Add the sliced garlic and minced chili to the pan. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and softened, taking extreme care not to let it color, which would turn it bitter.
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6
Increase the heat to medium-high and pour in the white wine. Let it bubble and reduce by half, scraping any flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.
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7
Carefully fold in the crab meat. If using a mix of brown and white meat, add the brown meat first to melt into the sauce, then gently fold in the white lumps to keep them intact.
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8
Just before draining the pasta, ladle out about 1 cup (250ml) of the starchy pasta cooking water. This is 'liquid gold' for your sauce.
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9
Drain the linguine and add it directly into the skillet with the crab and aromatics.
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10
Pour in half of the reserved pasta water and the lemon juice. Toss everything vigorously using tongs for 1-2 minutes over medium heat. The starch in the water and the fats will emulsify into a glossy sauce that coats every strand.
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11
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest, chopped parsley, and chives.
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12
Season with freshly cracked black pepper and a pinch of flaky salt. Taste and add more pasta water if the dish looks too dry.
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13
Serve immediately in warmed bowls, ensuring each portion gets a generous helping of the crab lumps from the bottom of the pan.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use fresh crab meat from the refrigerated seafood counter rather than canned—the difference in texture and sweetness is monumental. Don't skip the pasta water; it's the secret to a silky sauce that clings to the noodles without needing heavy cream. If you are sensitive to heat, remove the seeds and white pith from the chili before mincing to keep the flavor without the burn. Avoid adding Parmesan cheese to this dish; Italian tradition dictates that cheese overpowers the delicate nuances of fresh seafood. Zest your lemons before juicing them—it’s much easier and ensures you get all those fragrant essential oils.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a crisp, chilled glass of Gavi di Gavi or a dry Vermentino to complement the acidity. Serve with a side of charred long-stem broccoli seasoned with lemon and garlic. A simple arugula salad with a light balsamic vinaigrette provides a peppery contrast to the sweet crab. Warm, crusty ciabatta bread is essential for mopping up any leftover chili-lemon butter at the bottom of the bowl.