Name: Busiate with crab, ginger and pangrattato
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 400 gm "00" flour (2⅔ cups); 100 gm day-old crustless sourdough bread, processed to fine breadcrumbs; 60 ml olive oil (¼ cup); 1 garlic clove, crushed; 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve; Crab and ginger sauce; 125 ml mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil (½ cup); 20 gm peeled ginger, cut into julienne; 4 small garlic cloves, very finely chopped; 2-4 red birdseye chillies, or to taste, seeds removed (optional), finely chopped; 400 gm cooked spanner crab meat, drained

Busiate with crab, ginger and pangrattato

When it comes to crab, it's often best to keep things simple. Here that means a flavoured oil, some breadcrumbs and herbs as the background notes.

Serves 4

Prep

30M

Cook

25M

Total

55M

These little twists are best made the day before you serve them – they hold their shape better when they’ve dried out. As for the sauce, we’ve kept it simple with a flavoured oil, crab and a sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs for the perfect textural contrast.

Ingredients

400 gm "00" flour (2⅔ cups)

100 gm day-old crustless sourdough bread, processed to fine breadcrumbs

60 ml olive oil (¼ cup)

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve

Crab and ginger sauce

125 ml mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil (½ cup)

20 gm peeled ginger, cut into julienne

4 small garlic cloves, very finely chopped

2-4 red birdseye chillies, or to taste, seeds removed (optional), finely chopped

400 gm cooked spanner crab meat, drained

Method

Main

1.Process flour and 200ml water in a food processor until a dough forms. If necessary add a couple of teaspoons extra water to bring it together. Knead on a lightly floured surface to a smooth ball (2-3 minutes), then wrap in plastic wrap and leave to rest for 30-40 minutes. Roll pieces of dough about the size of a large pea to a thin rope, dusting with flour to prevent sticking, then twirl around a small craft rod or chopstick (a knitting needle is traditional) to form a corkscrew shape. Slide off and set aside on a lightly floured tray to dry (at least 3 hours or overnight).

2.To make pangrattato, preheat oven to 200°C. Toss breadcrumbs, oil, garlic and parsley in a bowl and season. Spread on an oven tray and bake until golden brown and crisp (10-15 minutes).

3.For crab and ginger sauce, heat oil in a large saucepan over low-medium heat. Add ginger, garlic and chilli and sauté until fragrant and softened (5-6 minutes). Stir in crab and warm through, then season to taste.

4.Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (2-4 minutes). Drain well, reserving 60ml pasta water, then add busiate to crab sauce with extra parsley and toss gently to combine, adding a little pasta water if needed to coat well. Serve scattered with pangrattato.