BLACK PASTA W. CRAB & LEMON

If there is black pasta on a menu, I’m ordering it! I have always loved black pasta or squid ink pasta if you will. It’s one of my favorite things to eat anywhere and I really do love the simplicity of it. All this pasta needs is a few simple ingredients and you pretty much have a fun bowl of fabulousness.

Black pasta which gets its color from squid ink is typically paired with seafood and you can taste a little bit of the seawater yet briney ink from the squid. Whenever I dine out, if black pasta is on the menu, I for sure am ordering a bowl no matter what else arrives at my table. I’ve had this dish so many places but I love it at Bar Primi with crab and with octopus and mussels at one of my favorite restaurants in Harlem, Vinateria .

Here, I’m pairing my black pasta with juicy lump crab meat and topping it with some toasted bread crumbs and lemon zest. I grabbed a can of crab meat at my local Whole Foods but you can use any seafood that you enjoy. ( Another great alternative here would be the seafood blend from Trader Joe’s)

I also picked up this strozzapreti squid ink pasta from Severino Pasta Company while at Whole Foods too. It was my first time trying this pasta brand, and I loved the texture of the pasta after it cooked. I could really taste the quality and fabulousness in each piece of pasta, so I’m really looking forward to trying more types and shapes of pasta from this small batch brand. This pasta dish is the perfect mid-week pick up meal. It’s comforting, bright and gives you a little luxury with the cream & crab.

Black Pasta w. Crab & Lemon

squid ink pasta

1 can of crab meat, drained & lightly separated

3 clove of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cups heavy cream

1/2c. stock or water

1/2 stick of cold butter

lemon juice & zest

plain bread crumbs, toasted

In a small pot over low heat, simmer heavy cream until it’s thick and reduced by half.

Drain crab meat and remove any additional liquid and set flaked crabmeat aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook squid ink pasta as directed on packaging.

In a large skillet over medium heat with a small amount of oil, sauté sliced garlic until lightly brown. When garlic becomes brown, add in stock and reduced cream and bring to a simmer. Once pasta is al dente, reserve 1/2c. hot pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and add cooked pasta to cream and combine. Add cold butter to pasta, along with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, adjusting to your taste. If your sauce has become too thick, add in a small amount of hot pasta water until the sauce is a smooth and creamy consistency. Turn off the heat and gently fold in crab, as you do not want to break up the crab too much. Spoon pasta in a bowl and top with lemon zest and toasted bread crumbs.

Eat fabulously!

Toasted Bread Crumbs: In a dry skillet over medium low heat, add bread crumbs and allow to toast,  making sure to move your skillet in a continuous circular motion as to not burn your bread crumbs. Once bread crumbs have become light brown, remove from skillet immediately, pour into a bowl and allow to cool. Season bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Toasted bread crumbs can be kept in an air tight container.