12ouncesshort pasta of choice, such as reginetti, radiatori, rigatoni, or lumache
8ouncesjumbo lump or lump crab meat, picked over for shells
½cupfinely grated Parmesan cheese, a pinch reserved for garnish
⅓cuploosely packed basil, roughly chopped; a few whole leaves reserved for garnish
½lemon, juiced
Salt, pepper, and sugar to taste
Instructions
Prepare the sauce:
Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallot and cook for 3–4 minutes.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes, sun-dried tomato oil, and the anchovies. Cook for 2–3 minutes or until you can easily mash the anchovies into a paste.
Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and stir to coat everything in the pan with the paste. Continue cooking for 1–2 minutes until the paste deepens in color.
Simmer the sauce:
Pour in the white wine and stir to incorporate the wine into the paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the diced tomatoes. Taste and add salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce thickens. Taste and season again to your preferences.
Cook the pasta:
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.
Finish the sauce:
Taste the sauce and season to your preferences. Carefully add the crab along with the Parmesan, chopped basil, and lemon juice. Stir gently to incorporate, being careful not to break up the crab too much. Simmer for 5–6 minutes. Taste and season.
Finish the pasta:
Add half of the pasta cooking water to the pot along with the cooked pasta. Toss gently to coat the pasta with the sauce. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
Spoon the pasta onto a large serving platter. Garnish with more basil leaves and a pinch of grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!