Active Time

　　15 min

　　Total Time

　　15 min

　　Good-quality ingredients brought together with a minimum of fuss: That kitchen philosophy is inventively illustrated by this dish. Tender, delicate crab usually shows up amid other tender, delicate things, but when teamed with a rustic, chewy homemade semolina pasta (the real star of the show), it develops a certain swagger. Spring onions, fresh chile, and a bit of lemon juice add even more verve.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings

　　Fresh semolina fettuccine

　　1/2 cup thinly sliced spring onions or scallions

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

　　1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over

　　1/3 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas

　　2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

　　2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

　　1 (3-to 4-inch) fresh red chile, such as serrano, thinly sliced, or 1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes

　　1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided

　　

Step 1

Cook fettuccine in a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water until al dente, about 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta.

　　

Step 2

While pasta water comes to a boil, cook spring onions in 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, peas, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook 1 minute. Add crab and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add pasta, lemon juice, cheese, chile, and remaining tablespoon each of oil and butter and stir to combine well, adding more cooking water to moisten if necessary. Remove from heat and stir in all but 1 tablespoon parsley. Serve pasta sprinkled with remaining parsley.

　　

What to drink:

Step 3

Fontaleoni Vernaccia di

　　San Gimignano '07