CRAB & ASPARAGUS PAPPARDELLE

Crab & asparagus pappardelle image

Crab is so good to serve in the spring - combined with fresh egg pappardelle and asparagus, it makes a stunning seasonal dish. Pair it with a rocket salad

Provided by Rosie Birkett

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
pinch of fennel seeds
½ red chilli , finely chopped
2 shallots , finely chopped
small bunch parsley , stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
½ lemon , zested and juiced
1 tbsp tomato purée
50ml vermouth
1 dressed crab (about 120g white and brown meat)
200g fresh egg pappardelle
200g asparagus , woody stalks removed, sliced on the diagonal (fatter stalks sliced in half lengthways)
1 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tbsp snipped chives
handful chopped hazelnuts

Steps:

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Add the fennel seeds, chilli, shallots, parsley stalks, lemon zest and seasoning, and fry for about 5 mins, or until softened and aromatic. Add the tomato purée, cook for a couple of mins, then deglaze with the vermouth. Add half the crabmeat, stir to create a thick sauce, then remove from the heat while you cook the pasta.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente. With 3 mins remaining, add the asparagus, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta and asparagus to the crab pan. Put the crab pan back on the heat, add a couple of spoonfuls of pasta water to loosen and toss together, coating the pasta in the sauce. Add the rest of the crabmeat, crème fraîche and lemon juice, and warm through. Divide between plates and garnish with parsley, chives and hazelnuts.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 576 calories, Fat 20 grams fat, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 60 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 7 grams sugar, Fiber 8 grams fiber, Protein 30 grams protein, Sodium 0.6 milligram of sodium