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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.

By Lisa Featherby
  • 30 mins preparation
  • 25 mins cooking plus resting
  • Serves 4
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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.

Notes

Drink Suggestion: Crisp, fragrant traminer Drink suggestion by Max Allen