Very famous “ down the shore”, this recipe takes me way back. I cant remember the last time I made it. Many call it Crab Gravy. I call it freaking amazing. At first it just smells like regular red sauce, but soon, the crabs release all their tidal liquor, infusing the gravy with the flavor of the coast. You wont get that just by just adding in a container of crab meat.
You will need:
3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for serving
3 garlic cloves minced
128-ounce can peeled tomatoes,
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes
4 large cleaned blue crabs ( ask your fish monger to clean them)
Pinch of Kosher salt
1 lb spaghetti
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When it begins to shimmer, add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until it is fragrant. Add the tomatoes, crushing them by hand as you do so, as well as the parsley and red-pepper flakes. Stir and allow to come to a simmer.Turn the heat up to high and add the crabs. When the sauce starts to boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes or so. Remove the crabs to a serving bowl and cover to keep warm.Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is firm — really al dente. Drain.Place the pasta in a large serving bowl or platter and drizzle with olive oil. Pour the crab sauce over the pasta, add the basil leaves over the top and season with black pepper. Serve with crabs on the side and lots of bread.
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