CRAB & SAMPHIRE SPAGHETTI WITH CHILLI BREADCRUMBS

I am getting seriously obsessed with samphire, a fleshy green plant that grows along British coastlines and  and is kind of similar to green asparagus, just with a bit more of a salty "sea" taste to it in the best of ways.

Of course being grown close to the sea, samphire works particuarly well when cooked in combination with seafood (like with the seabass I cooked up the other week) and I couldn't help but be intrigued how it would work with crab!

I adore crab spaghetti in any almost any scenario but here it really is taken up a notch when combined with samphire in a white wine (no cream!!) sauce and is even better when topped with a wonderful finishing touch of chilli breadcrumbs.

It's the sort of pasta dish that is zingy, full of flavours yet oh so light, by staying away from any cheese and cream, and is also surprisingly quickly to rustle up considering the very sophisticated dish one ends up with!

Perfect for an early summer supper with a chilled glass of white wine on the side!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 + 1/2 tbsp olive oil, plus a glug extra
• 40g white breadcrumbs
• 1 + 1⁄2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 50g brown crabmeat
• 80ml white wine
• Finely grated zest and juice 1⁄2 lemon, plus extra zest and wedges to serve
• 400g spaghetti
• 1 pack of samphire (I get mine in Waitrose)
• 100g white crabmeat
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

METHOD

• Heat 1⁄2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan and fry the breadcrumbs for 3-4 minutes until just golden and crisp, then season with salt and pepper and stir in the chilli flakes. 
• Set aside on a plate to cool.
• Add the remaining oil to the same pan over a medium heat and fry the garlic for 2 minutes, then stir in the brown crabmeat and cook for a minute more. 
• Add 50ml of the white wine, the lemon zest and juice, cook for another minute, then turn the heat off and keep to hand.
• Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, adding the samphire for the final minute, then drain, reserving a cup of pasta water.
• Add the pasta/samphire to the pan with the brown crabmeat along with a splash of cooking water, then toss until coated. 
• Stir in the white crabmeat, remaining wine and the parsley, along with an extra glug of olive oil. 
• Season with black pepper, then serve with the extra lemon zest, a scattering of breadcrumbs and lemon wedges for squeezing.