This decadent weekday pasta recipe is adapted from Stephanie Dietz, who runs the Pink Dinghy in Virginia Beach, Virginia. If Calabrian chili paste is a new ingredient in your cooking, try using it anywhere you would use sambal or hot sauce (mix it with mayonnaise). for an excellent sandwich spread). Although fresh crab meat is the best thing you can use here, it is an expensive ingredient, and in its place you can add high-quality canned crab; or to make this dish vegetarian, simply omit the crab.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Or buy: Pieces of fresh jumbo crab can be found in well-stocked supermarkets and seafood stores. Calabrian chili paste can be found in Italian markets, specialty stores, well-stocked supermarkets, and online.
Ingredients
Servings: 6 (makes about 9 cups)
Directions
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Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the bucatini and cook 3 minutes less than indicated on the package. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water (reserve an additional 1/2 cup if not using wine), then drain the pasta.
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2nd step
While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the tomatoes, increase the heat and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to burst and become a little sauce-like, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until everything is very flavorful and cohesive, about 1 minute more. Stir in wine, butter, lemon zest, chili paste and tomato paste. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer while you cook the pasta.
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Step 3
Once the pasta is cooked, stir the reserved pasta water into the sauce. Add the pasta to the pan, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring, until the pasta is cooked through and absorbs most of the sauce, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and/or pepper, if necessary. Just before serving, gently fold in the crab meat, doing your best not to break up any lumps.
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Step 4
Divide between bowls, garnish with parsley and parmesan and serve immediately.
Replacements
Bucatini >> all long pastas, like spaghetti or linguine.
Gluten free? >> Use gluten-free pasta.
Calabrian chili paste >> sambal oelek (start with 1 teaspoon).
Fresh giant crab >> high quality canned crab or shrimp (incorporate the latter at the end of cooking).
Vegetarian? >> Omit the crab.
Alcohol-free? >> Use extra pasta cooking water and a squeeze of lemon.
Variants
For a seafood pasta mix, use crab, sautéed shrimp (common shrimp works well here), and steamed mussels.