“The simplcity of the ingredients make this dish easy to recreate while highlighting the star of the show: the handpicked blue swimmer crab,” says chef Max Sharrad.
Ingredients
Pasta dough
Method
1.For pasta dough, place ingredients, 2 tbsp water and a pinch of salt in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook; mix on medium speed until dough comes together and is smooth. Roll into a ball, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2.To laminate pasta, cut dough in half, working with one piece at a time, flatten it with the palm of your hand. Dust lightly with semolina and feed it through the pasta machine, starting at the widest setting. Fold the two ends of dough towards each other, then rotate dough 90 degrees and feed through the pasta machine again. Laminate twice on widest setting, then continue to feed dough through pasta machine, reducing settings, notch by notch, until 2mm thick. Cut sheets into 40cm lengths and dust with extra semolina; place on trays.
3.To cut tagliarini, stack two sheets and fold in half lengthways then cut into 2-3mm wide strips. Dust liberally with semolina, place and cover until ready to cook. Repeat with remaining dough. Alternatively, cut, using the cutter attachment on your pasta machine.
4.To cook crabs, fill a large saucepan three-quarters full with salted water and bring to the boil. Add crabs, cover, and return to the boil. Once boiling, cook covered, for 15 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove and refresh immediately in iced water; drain. Using a crab fork, pick meat; reserve meat and shells in separate bowls.
5.Place butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low-medium heat. Add half of the reserved shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until butter is fragrant (12-15 minutes). Stand until slightly cooled (10 minutes). Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and leave at room temperature until ready to use. Makes 430gm (see note).
6.For crab stock, place remaining shells in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and skim impurities that rise to the surface. Simmer for 20 minutes then remove from heat. Stand, covered to infuse until room temperature (30 minutes). Strain through a fine sieve into a jug. Makes 1.2 litres.
7.Place 2 tbsp crab butter in a large deep frying pan over high heat. Add shallots, chilli and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots begin to soften (3-4 minutes). Add 375ml stock and reduce by three-quarters or until slightly thickened (5-8 minutes). Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (1-2 minutes). Drain and add to pan with reserved crab meat, herbs, lemon juice, and 3 tbsp crab butter, and toss well to combine; season to taste.
8.To serve, divide pasta among shallow bowls then top with chives, chilli flakes and salmon roe.
Leftover crab butter can be frozen for 3 months and used as desired.
Notes
