Buttery Crab Pasta

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

Fine sea salt
8 ounces bucatini or linguine
4 tablespoons (2 oz) unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
2 cups (10 oz) halved golden or red cherry tomatoes
1 scallion (white and green parts, thinly sliced)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (plus more as needed)
1/2 cup fresh chervil or fresh parsley leaves (or substitute a combination of fresh parsley and fresh tarragon)
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (preferably organic)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces cooked lump crabmeat (picked over to remove any stray shells*)
Extra-virgin olive oil (for serving)
Flaky sea salt (for serving)

Prep Time15mins
Cook Time15mins
Servings3

Instructions

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (usually a minute or two less than the package directs). Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the Parmesan. Stir in the tomatoes, scallion, red pepper flakes, and a large pinch of salt, simmer until the tomatoes begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes.

Stir in the pasta, 1/4 cup of the chervil or parsley, the lemon zest and juice, and black pepper to taste. Toss until warmed through. Gently fold in the crabmeat.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Serve the crab pasta sprinkled with Parmesan, the remaining 1/4 cup chervil or parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, flaky sea salt, and more red pepper flakes, to taste.