Rachel Roddy shares her take on the River Cafe’s classic crab pasta, featuring an ‘electric sauce’ of olive oil, red chilli, parsley, garlic and lemon. The recipe, adapted from the River Cafe Cookbook, is designed for two servings and uses readily available ingredients.
To prepare, mince one small red chilli and a small bunch of parsley. Peel one garlic clove, sprinkle with salt, and crush to a paste using the flat side of a large knife. Warm a large bowl by swishing a ladle of boiling water inside, then discard the water. Combine the chilli, parsley, half the garlic paste, six tablespoons of olive oil, and the finely grated zest and one to three teaspoons of juice from one unwaxed lemon in the bowl.
Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and cook 220g of spaghetti, linguine or tagliolini according to package instructions until al dente. Meanwhile, add 120-150g of white and brown crab meat (fresh or tinned) to the bowl. If you don’t have brown crab meat, add one to two finely minced anchovies. Mix and let sit for a minute, then taste and add more salt or the remaining garlic if needed.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and tip into the crab sauce. Mix vigorously, then serve in warm bowls with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Ensure the juices and any parsley stuck to the bowl are shared between servings.
