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Spaghetti with Crab Sauce
This recipe is a two-step process: Making the sauce base and then the sauce itself. You can make the base a day ahead if you'd like. Any crab will do here, but I use a combination of red crabs, rock crabs and Dungeness crabs. The only tricky ingredient here is ouzo, which is a Greek anise-flavored liquor. Most liquor stores have it, but you can sub in sambuca, raki, Pastis, Pernod or any other anise-flavored liqueur. Still can't find it? Go with brandy; that's what my brother-in-law does.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 494 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
SAUCE BASE
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- Shells from 2 or 3 Dungeness crabs or 4 to 6 large rock crabs, or 8 blue crabs
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Tops from 1 fennel bulb, chopped
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup ouzo
FINISHED SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped fennel bulb
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup ouzo
- A 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups of the crab sauce base
- Tabasco garlic-pepper sauce to taste, or other hot sauce
- 1 cup cooked crabmeat
- 1-2 pounds dried spaghetti
- Chives, green onions or parsley to garnish
Instructions
- To make the sauce base, put the onions and olive oil in a stockpot and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the crab shells and the garlic and stir to combine. Use a potato masher to smash the crab shells into small pieces. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
- Add the bay leaves, the tops from the fennel bulb, ouzo and a healthy pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover everything by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Turn off the heat and pick out as much of the solids as possible, making sure you save the liquid. Strain the liquid through a paper towel set in a colander. Reserve.
- To finish the sauce, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large, wide pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and chopped fennel until they are soft and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens and turns the color of brick. Add the ouzo, the tomatoes and 2 cups of the crab sauce base. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Taste for salt and add the Tabasco to taste. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Boil your pasta. Once the pasta is ready, add the crabmeat to the sauce and stir gently. Mix the pasta with a little of the sauce, then portion it out. Top with more sauce, and garnish with chives or parsley.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Once you make this sauce, it will last up to 3 days in the fridge before it starts to get funky.
Nutrition Information
Calories
494kcal
(25%)
Carbohydrates
62g
(21%)
Protein
15g
(30%)
Fat
13g
(20%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Cholesterol
22mg
(7%)
Sodium
101mg
(4%)
Potassium
321mg
(9%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
10IU
(0%)
Vitamin C
5mg
(6%)
Calcium
54mg
(5%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 494
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 494kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 62g | 21% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 22mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 101mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 321mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 10IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 54mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.