pasta with crab meat

If you can't find fresh crab meat, all is not lost. Some crab meat is pasteurized, then packed in tins or containers and refrigerated; because it's not any less expensive than true fresh meat, it's a second choice, but not a terrible one. Containers of fresh crab meat are sometimes frozen in 8- or 16-ounce containers; it's not bad, but it doesn't have the flavor of fresh or even pasteurized crab.

Ingredients

• Salt to taste
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons slivered or minced garlic
• 2 dried red chilies, or to taste
• 1 pound pasta
• 1/2 pound crab meat, or more
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Method

• 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it. Put oil, garlic, chilies and a pinch of salt in a saucepan large enough to hold cooked pasta and turn heat to medium-low. Cook, shaking pan, until garlic just begins to color; turn off heat. photo the great alan pedrosa
• 2. When water boils, cook pasta. When it is just about done, turn heat under oil back to low and add crab; stir once or twice. Drain pasta (reserve a bit of cooking water), and toss it in crab sauce to coat. If mixture seems a bit dry, add reserved cooking water or more olive oil. Stir in parsley, adjust seasoning, and serve