Crab, Chilli & Fennel Tagliatelle Recipe

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb
1 chilli
250g cherry tomatoes
50g butter
1 lemon
400g tagliatelle
A handful of flat leaf parsley
200g brown crab meat
50g grated Parmesan

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 25 mins

Buy the ingredients to start making your own

Add Ingredients To Basket

Method

1. Fill and boil the kettle. Trim the fennel, pick off any leafy fronds and set them aside for garnishing. Halve the fennel bulb and finely slice it. Halve the chilli, scooping out the white pith and seeds if you prefer less heat. Finely slice the chilli. Halve the cherry tomatoes.

2. Set a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add 50g butter and gently swirl the pan to melt it. Add the sliced fennel and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Finely grate in the zest from the lemon. Pop a lid on the pan and cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, till the fennel is beginning to soften.

3. Meanwhile, pour the hot water from the kettle into a large pan on a medium-high heat. Add a large pinch of salt, then add the pasta. Cook the pasta for 8-10 mins till almost cooked, but still with a little bite. Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of starchy water (mind your fingers or use a ladle), and set aside.

4. When the fennel has cooked for 5 mins, stir in the chilli and cook, uncovered, for 5-6 mins till the fennel has softened and lightly caramelised. Finely chop the parsley stalks and roughly chop the parsley leaves.

5. Add the tomatoes to the fennel and fry, stirring, for 2 mins. Spoon in the crab meat. Add most of the chopped parsley leaves, reserving a handful for garnishing. Squeeze in the juice from half the lemon and stir well to mix. Trickle in a little of the starchy pasta water and toss well to mix. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt or pepper, if needed.

6. Divide the pasta between 4 warm plates. Scatter over the remaining parsley leaves and any fennel fronds, then serve.