Paddle crab with capellini, fennel, chilli and garlic

Tamara West

Fennel is a great addition to this seafood pasta.

Ingredients

120 ml	Extra virgin olive oil
180 g	Capellini pasta, (use up to 200g)
2	Fennel bulbs, large. Shaved or finely sliced
4 pinches	Chilli flakes, dried
3	Garlic cloves, crushed
6	Paddle crabs, pick crabmeat from 6 large cooked paddle crabs
1 to taste	Sea salt and cracked black pepper
1	Lemon, juice of
½ cup	Parsley, picked and finely chopped
½ cup	Fennel, tops, finely chopped

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil over a high heat. Add capellini and boil for 3 to 4 minutes or until just cooked, stirring occasionally.
2. Drain pasta in a colander then toss with 20ml of olive oil to prevent from sticking together.
3. Heat remaining olive oil in a large heavy based frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add fennel and cook for 2 minutes without allowing it to colour.
4. Add chilli and garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds without colouring.
5. Add crabmeat and season with a little salt and pepper before increasing heat slightly and adding lemon juice, herbs and warm pasta.
6. Mix well to combine, adjust seasoning to taste and divide pasta between 4 bowls. Serve immediately. Crusty fresh bread or a simple green salad would be a great side to this dish.