Thin Spaghetti with Crab, Chile and Lemon Breadcrumbs

By garciamoss

Ingredients

• 1 pound thin spaghetti or vermicelli
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 to 3 red chiles, thinly sliced
• 3 to 4 slices whole-wheat bread, coarsely pulverized in a food processor
• 1 lemon, zested and cut into wedges, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound canned or fresh-packed crab meat, picked over for shells
• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
• 4 sprigs mint, leaves picked and torn

Details

Adapted from blog.cookingchanneltv.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta well and reserve.

Place a saute pan over medium heat with the oil and butter. Add the garlic and chiles and cook until the chiles are tender and the garlic is very aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the aromatics from the pan; mash the garlic with a fork and reserve with the chiles. Add the bread to the pan and toast, tossing frequently, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the breadcrumbs out into a bowl and toss with the lemon zest and cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and reserve.

While still hot, toss the cooked pasta with the crab, spinach and reserved smashed garlic and chiles; season with salt and pepper. Divide the pasta between serving bowls and garnish with the prepared breadcrumbs and torn mint. Serve with wedges of lemon.

NOTE: Coarsely chopping the bread in a food processor makes for larger and somewhat chewy breadcrumbs that stand up well against the pasta. If you don’t have a food processor available, reach for some whole-wheat panko, or see if a local bakery makes its own breadcrumbs that will get the job done.