Crab Capellini Recipes

LEMON CAPELLINI

Steps:

• Add 2 tablespoons of salt to a large pot of boiling water. Add the capellini and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until just al dente.
• Meanwhile, heat a large (12-inch) saute pan, add the butter, and heat until the butter is melted. Add the zest and juice of the 2 lemons. Add 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and swirl the pan to combine.
• As soon as the pasta is cooked, lift the pasta out of the water with tongs, allowing most but not all of the water to drain back into the pot, and add all the pasta to the sauce. Cook for one minute, adding pasta water to the sauce with a ladle just enough to keep the pasta moist.
• Transfer the pasta to a serving platter or individual plates. Garnish with more lemon zest, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and squeeze a little lemon juice on top. Serve hot.

CRAB AND RICOTTA CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
• In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan, egg yolk, basil, crab, salt, and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Fill the cannelloni with the crab mixture and place in a buttered baking dish. Top the filled cannelloni with the Bechamel Sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick, smooth, and creamy, about 10 minutes (do not allow the sauce to boil). Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. (The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cool and then cover and refrigerate.)
• Yield: about 4 cups

EASY CRAB TORTELLINI

Steps:

• Crush crackers into a bowl. Add egg, mascarpone cheese, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce; stir until combined. Let sit until crumbs have absorbed some moisture, about 5 minutes.
• Add crab meat, seafood seasoning, salt, cayenne pepper, and jalapeno to the cracker mixture; stir until just combined. Wrap and chill in the refrigerator until flavors develop, about 1 hour.
• Place a wonton wrapper on a work surface to resemble a diamond shape. Wet the top 2 edges with just enough water to moisten. Place 1 tablespoon crab filling right in the center and press to spread it out a bit. Pull the bottom wonton corner up and over the filling, line it up with the top corner to form a triangle, and work your way down the sides, pressing and sealing the wonton edges and pushing out any air. Press your finger right in the center of the long side to create a fold (or bend) in the triangle. Moisten the 2 "wings" and fold around the bend to seal. Repeat to form remaining tortellini.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
• While waiting for water to boil, place creme fraiche in a skillet over medium heat. Add paprika, lemon zest, salt, and a splash of the pasta water. Cook and stir until heated through and just starting to simmer, then turn off the heat and reserve.
• Add tortellini to the boiling water, giving a gentle stir make sure they don't stick to the bottom. Cook for 1 minute; they may or may not float to the surface. Remove tortellini with a slotted spoon and transfer into the reserved sauce.
• Turn heat to medium-high and cook, gently stirring and basting, until sauce is heated through and just starts to simmer. Don't overcook or the sauce will reduce too much. Turn off the heat and stir in dill. Serve immediately on warm plates and sprinkle with additional dill and cayenne.

SHRIMP AND CRAB CANNELLONI

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes with their juices, basil, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and crushed red pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is reduced to scant 5 cups, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Working in batches, puree sauce in blender; return to same pot. Add cream and vinegar and simmer 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate.
• For Cannelloni:
• Cook noodles in pot of boiling salted water until almost tender. Drain. Cool in bowl of cold water.
• Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Add shrimp; sauté just until opaque, about 3 minutes. Stir in basil, oregano and crushed red pepper. Cool.
• Mix ricotta, provolone, Parmesan, crabmeat and shrimp mixture in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in egg.
• Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread generous 1 cup tomato cream sauce in bottom of dish. Drain lasagna noodles; trim to 8-inch lengths. Spread scant 1/3 cup shrimp filling over each noodle, leaving 1/2-inch border on all sides. Staring at 1 short end, roll up each noodle jelly roll style. Place in prepared pan, seam side down. Pour remaining sauce over cannelloni. Cover with foil. (Can be made 1 day ahead; refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake foil-covered cannelloni until heated through, about 45 minutes.

RED PEPPER CAPELLINI WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Gently saute the pepper and garlic in the olive oil in a non-stick skillet until the garlic begins to color.
• Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes, capers, basil, parsley, wine, salt and capellini.
• Cook quickly to reduce the liquids.
• To serve: Toss the pasta with the cheese and divide onto 4 plates.
• To peel a tomato, cut an "x" in the bottom with a sharp knife. Plunge the tomato into boiling water for 30 seconds. Cool. Peel. Squeeze out the seeds, then dice.