Crab and Cherry Tomato Fettuccini
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Also see the recipe below that roasts fresh cherry tomatoes in the oven. That recipe does not add the white wine as this one does.

FMM: Reviewers really liked Giadas recipe. Brian and I thought it was okay. It was better the next day, and I squeezed a wedge of lemon over mine and thought it a bit better. We didnt have the canned cherry tomatoes so we used fresh cherry tomatoes and roasted them. To make up the juice in the canned ones, we added some tomato paste and extra pasta water. Maybe this was the difference.

Kosher salt
1 pound fettuccini
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup dry white wine
Two 14-ounce cans cherry or baby Roma tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through for shells
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Torn basil leaves, for garnish, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, shallots, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes.

Deglaze the skillet with the white wine, then bring to a boil and cook until almost entirely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano; bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the crabmeat and butter, stirring until the butter is emulsified. Add the pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water, and sprinkle the plain pasta with the Parmesan before stirring. Using two spoons, toss well to coat.

Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente, adding additional pasta water as needed, 2 more minutes.

Serve sprinkled with additional Parmesan and torn basil, if desired.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Spaghetti With Crab Meat, Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula
from Florence Fabricant, https://www.nytimes.com/

Adapted from Nick & Toni’s Cafe, Manhattan

1 cup loosely packed diced sourdough country bread
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 pints cherry tomatoes (about 50)
1/4 cup sliced garlic (5 or 6 cloves)
Leaves from 6 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped
12 ounces spaghetti
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
1 bunch arugula, heavy stems removed (about 2 cups)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons oil and the chopped garlic. Spread in a small baking pan and bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes, tossing from time to time. Let cool.

Turn heat up to 450 degrees. Place the tomatoes in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of the sliced garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, a pinch of chopped oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a baking pan and roast about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes start to burst. Remove from the oven.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until al dente. Meanwhile, grind the bread cubes in a blender to make crumbs. Heat the remaining oil and the butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook until lightly colored. Add the roasted tomatoes and their juices, reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes. Fold in the crab meat and remaining oregano.

When the spaghetti is done, remove a cup of the water and add to the tomatoes. Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan. Adjust seasoning. Fold in the arugula, toss the spaghetti well, transfer to a large warm bowl or individual plates, dust with the bread crumbs and serve.

Yield: 4 servings