Spicy Crab Pasta

I’m a huge fan of all-you-can-eat crab legs, but I also love incorporating crab into various recipes because it’s so versatile. This pasta dish is perfect for a weeknight meal—it’s quick to prepare but can be enjoyed any day. The combination of spiciness and sweetness is just right. As with many of my recipes, we’ll be using bomba sauce, so I hope you have a jar on hand. Enjoy!

SPICY CRAB PASTA WITH FENNEL

Recipe by Mark Calaminici | Food Loves Company

Serves 4

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil, enough to coat the pan

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

150g Fennel, thinly sliced into small strips

Salt, to taste

White wine, to taste, optional

Tomato paste, to taste

Bomba sauce, to taste

400g crab meat

400g spaghetti or any long pasta 

Butter, to taste

Fresh basil, to taste, torn

Method

1. In a large pan on medium heat, add extra virgin olive oil, and garlic. Saute until garlic is tender and fragrant. Add fennel and season with salt. cook down to soften get rid of moisture. Add white wine and cook down the wine. Create a hot spot in the pan and add tomato paste. Toast for a bit before mixing into everything. Add bomba sauce and crab meat and mix to incorporate everything. 

2.  Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water just before al dente, as we will finish cooking the pasta in the sauce. Reserve pasta water.

3.  Add butter to the pan and mix. Once the pasta is ready, add the pasta to the pan along with a ladle of pasta water and continue to cook the pasta in the pan, stirring and tossing, adding more pasta water if needed. Turn off the heat or remove the pan from the heat and add basil mix and toss to incorporate into the pasta. You should end up with a smooth silky and creamy sauce. Plate and garnish with some sauce, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and freshly cracked pepper. Enjoy!