Burnt butter, crab & chilli pasta

SERVES 4

200g unsalted butter, chopped

1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tsp lemon zest

400g cooked picked crab meat

300g fresh chilli linguine or plain linguine (see box, page 55)

1 tbsp lemon juice

sea salt and cracked black pepper

baby sorrel or micro herbs, to serve

• Place a large nonstick frying pan over a high heat. Add the butter and cook for 2-3 minutes or until it starts to foam. Add the chilli, garlic, lemon zest and crab and cook for 1 minute.
• While the crab mixture is cooking, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 3 minutes or until al dente (if using dried, have your cooked pasta ready). Drain and add to the crab mixture. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and sprinkle with pepper and sorrel to serve.

 FRESH OR DRIED? YOU CHOOSE

In the recipe photographs we used fresh pasta varieties, available from selected supermarkets, speciality grocers and delicatessens. If you can’t find fresh flavoured pasta, use plain. Dried pasta also works well – follow the cooking times on the packet. If using dried, read the recipes through first and be sure to have your cooked pasta ready at the right time.