Crabby pasta

The title, ragazzi, says it all. You're going to love this dish. I promise. And you're going to love something I tell you about it. Maybe a few things.

I'm not sure if the world breaks down into people who love lobster and hate crab, and those who love crab and hate lobster, or if there are intersects. Annalena cannot put lobster past her nose. Perhaps it is her peasant roots. But she LOVES crab. (Note that she did NOT say "crabs" so as to avoid any association with those foul parasites).

One of the things that Annalena learned this week, much to her surprise, and delight, is that crab is very low in calories. She is serious about that. Unadulterated crab meat (please note the adjective), has but 30 calories an ounce. Did you know that? Annalena certainly did not. You cannot eat a gum drop for 30 calories. So, if you control the "adulteration" (not an easy feat, Annalena admits), you have a low calorie, high protein food.

Please note that Annalena is speaking of REAL crab, not surimi, that disgusting product of fish by products that is molded and dyed red to resemble crab , and fails in so doing (as it does in taste).

You can secure crab in a number of ways, and depending upon your intended purpose for the product, you should choose one or the other. Of course, you can start with WHOLE crabs. Annalena must tell you, these are a trial to work with. They are fun, and the eating is communal, informal, and wonderful, but they are messy, live crabs are feisty, and you do have to dispatch them. Annalena likes to serve whole dungeness crab, perhaps the Emperor of all crabs. They weigh several pounds, have a very high meat yield (there is not that much meat in a crab), and have a very rich tasting meat. You may also use a variety such as the blue claw (most common here in the East), a Jonah crab or, what Annalena used this week, a "rock crab." (for this discussion, we are omitting stone crab claws. We are discussing the entire beast, or its meat). There are also king crab legs (a whole King crab will scare you and you do NOT have a pot large enough to cook it. Trust Annalena on this. And they are tougher than you), snow crab (a waste of money), and other forms. For most of us, however, we will go to the meat.

Choices abound here. Lump crabmeat is very expensive. This is the large pieces that come from whole claws. When your dish relies on visual appeal, like a crab cocktail, or something along those lines, this is what you use, and you prepare to spend upwards of 30.00 a pound.

Backfin crab, slightly less expensive, comes in smaller chunks. Again, where visual appeal is key, this is a variety to use.

We are not concerned with this in crabby pasta, and you use the cheapest variety, which comes under several names. "Cheapest" is a relative term, however, and you should still plan on 15-20 dollars a pound.

Why so much money? AH. If you did, what Annalena did, this weekend, you would know why. Confronted with four rock crabs from her buddies, the Karlins, she decided to pick the meat out. A half hour, a few damaged feelings, a hammer, two rolling pins, and a lot of clean up later, Annalena was the owner of 12 ounces of not so clean crab meat. Those four crabs probably weighed about five pounds in total.

Is it necessary to go on? So, perhaps you should buy your crabmeat prepared already, unless you want the one time challenge of this.

And once you have your crabmeat, here is how we prepare this pasta dish. You need one large leek, or two medium ones, a cup of peas, a half pound of crab meat, a half pound of fresh pasta, two tablespoons of butter, and one tablespoon of olive oil.

Melt one tablespoon of that butter with the oil in a large pan. Alongside of it, prepare a large pot of boiling water. When the butter has melted, add the sliced leek (use the white and pale green parts only. If you need to wash them, do). Saute' them at medium heat until they just begin to soften. Then add the peas. Stir this all together. Add the crabmeat and stir it all together. Taste, and adjust the salt. You WILL need to add salt. A common mistake made with seafood, is the belief that, since it comes from salt water, it is salty. All of these critters are equipped with organs which remove the salt that enters their body. Indeed, most shellfish is less salty than meat (there are biochemical reasons for that which Annalena shall explain to you offline if you like).

Now, drop the half pound of pasta (and whilst Annalena suggests fresh pasta for this, you can use dry, of course), bring the water back to the boil, and cook it to your desired state of al dente. Fresh pasta will take less than five minutes. A good quality dried pasta, maybe ten. Drain the pasta, toss it into that large pan with the other goodies, and stir it together.

Remember that extra tablespoon of butter? Now's your chance. Go ahead. You deserve it. It's a festive meal, made healthy by the peas, and since Annalena has absolved you from guilt on the calories from crab, add it. If you're making this for two people, it appears you are still in rather safe waters for calories for a meal, and if for three (and they'd best be small appetites), you are definitely on the lean side.

And you know what? If you have measured all your ingredients aforehand, you shall have dinner on the table, in fifteen minutes. Go back through the recipe, and count.

Please do not put grated cheese on this dish. There is ample opportunity to put cheese on crab in other, non-Italianate preparations, but please try this first. If you must put pearls on the lady, Ananlena suggests that you slice up a jalapeno pepper or two, and stir that in with the dish. She also suggests that your pasta be one of the shorter ones, like ziti, or penne, or something along those lines.

All one really needs with this meal is a light green salad. Perhaps endive with sliced kumquats or something along those lines?

Do enjoy this. Yes, it is expensive, but now that we are all hearing of the 20.00 starbucks drinks we can purchase if we choose, and with the price of popcorn in a movie theatre being WHAT???? stay home and make a good meal. You will reward yourself and your loved ones.

Baci e alla prossima