Spaghetti and Crabs
Spaghetti and Crabs
Ingredients
For the Crab Tomato Sauce
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
6 tablespoons garlic, finely minced
2 ounces anchovies, including their oil
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 large handfuls fresh basil, whole or roughly torn, divided
4 cans (28 ounces each) high-quality whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional salt for the pasta water
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
About 15 raw whole blue crabs, fully cleaned, top shells and gills removed, then cut in half
For the Pasta
1 pound spaghetti or another long pasta
Instructions
Prepare the Crab Tomato Sauce
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.
Add the chopped onion, garlic, anchovies with their oil, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onion and garlic become soft and lightly golden.
As the mixture cooks, the anchovies will melt completely into the oil and create a deeply savory base for the sauce.
Add the Basil
Add half of the fresh basil to the pot.
Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring gently, to release its aroma and flavor into the oil.
Add the Tomatoes
Pour in the hand-crushed tomatoes and water.
Season with the salt and black pepper.
Stir well and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
As soon as it begins to boil, reduce the heat to low.
Add the Crabs
Carefully place the cleaned crab halves into the tomato sauce, making sure as many as possible are submerged.
Partially cover the pot.
Simmer gently for about 2½ hours, stirring carefully from time to time so the sauce does not stick to the bottom.
The crabs will release their flavor into the sauce as they cook, creating a rich seafood tomato gravy.
Remove the Crabs
After the sauce has simmered, carefully transfer the crabs to a baking dish or tray.
Cover and keep them warm in a 200°F / 95°C oven while preparing the pasta.
Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper if necessary.
Stir in the remaining fresh basil.
Prepare the Pasta Sauce
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, transfer about 3 cups of the crab tomato sauce to a large skillet and keep it warm over low heat.
Cook the Spaghetti
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water.
Cook until approximately 2 minutes before al dente, following the package directions as a guide.
Before draining, reserve at least ½ cup of pasta cooking water.
Finish the Pasta in the Sauce
Transfer the partially cooked spaghetti directly to the skillet containing the crab sauce.
Add about ½ cup reserved pasta water.
Toss continuously over medium-low heat until the pasta finishes cooking and absorbs the flavor of the sauce.
Add more crab sauce or pasta water as needed until the spaghetti is glossy and evenly coated.
Serve
Transfer the spaghetti to a large serving bowl or individual plates.
Spoon additional crab tomato sauce over the pasta if desired.
Serve the cooked crabs alongside the spaghetti, either at the same time or after the pasta course.
Enjoy while everything is hot.
Important Yield Note
This recipe produces approximately 1 gallon of crab tomato sauce, which is much more than needed for 1 pound of spaghetti.
You can reduce the ingredient quantities if desired, or freeze the extra sauce in airtight containers for future meals.