Saturday Beefcake: Seafood Pasta

Here is one of the bigger hits in these parts, which works very well with fresh pasta. It is a mainstay of Italian American families in the Northeast during the summer. Even Tom Colicchio of Top Chef remembers it lovingly. This is a creamy variation.


Pasta Fresca ai Granchi

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic Clove, minced
Italian Parsley, minced
Peperoncino, crushed
Crab Meat, 500 grams
White wine or Prosecco
Plum Tomatoes, chopped [imported canned do very well] half cup
Fresh Heavy Cream
Fresh Egg Pasta, 500 grams





1. Get a large skillet large enough to hold the pasta later. The pasta should be of a ribbon type – taglierini, tagliatelle, fettuccine or even Pappardelle.
2. Heat olive oil in the very same skillet, about a half cup, add the garlic, crushed red pepper and the parsley, for about one minute
3. Add the crab meat, stir while cooking for another five minutes – add some sea salt to taste and pour in the wine and cook until it evaporates.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for another ten minutes.
5. Add the cream and cook until thick
6. Toss cooked al dente pasta into the skillet and cook for a minute more.
7. If needing dilution use some of the water that cooked the pasta.