I am Italian, and I love Christmas. And as a Christmas-loving Italian girl I like to incorporate Italian traditions into my Christmas meals. In Italy, Christmas Eve is known as “Festa dei Sette Pesci” or The Festival of Seven Fishes and is celebrated by eating mounds of mounds of amazing seafood. My Christmas Eves are celebrated the same way.
My big holiday meal falls onto Christmas day, so I like to save my energy and keep Christmas Eve dinner easy. This year I will be making:
Crab Claw Tagliatelle in a White Wine Butter Sauce
The most difficult part of this dish and getting your hands on some crab claws. I ordered my 5 lb. bag of frozen, pre-cooked crab claws online, but the offer has since disappeared. But I’m sure a quick google search can help you find this necessary ingredient.
If you have frozen crab claws you should beginning defrosting them well ahead of time according to your package directions. Mine went into the refrigerator overnight and were perfectly defrosted when I was ready to cook.
Start by putting a large pot of water on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt the water liberally, it should taste like the ocean.
In a seperate, large sauce pan melt your butter over medium-high heat. Add in your chopped garlic and one tablespoon of garlic paste. I like to use paste along with fresh garlic because it adds creaminess to the sauce.
Cook the garlic-butter mixture for 2 minutes and add your olive oil. Stir and let cook for a couple more minutes before adding 1 1/3 cup white wine and the juice of two large lemons. Be sure to roll your lemons on your counter before you juice, it will allow the lemons to soften up and produce more juice. Bring your mixture to a boil and let simmer for a couple of minutes so that the flavors can combine. This is the moment that your kitchen begins to smell like absolute heaven.
Boil your pasta to package directions, being sure to not overcook the pasta. It should be just al dente: soft, with a bit of a bite in the middle.
While your pasta is cooking, toss your crab claws into the sauce and let cook for no more than 5 minutes. We want the crab to be warmed through, but not rubbery.
Drain your pasta and toss in with your sauce, crab claws, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Serve on a large platter garnished with more parsley and Parmesan.
This meal is a no-brainer to put together and is so incredibly satisfying with a glass of white wine and a loaf of fresh baked, crusty bread for soaking up extra sauce.
Next week I will be keeping the Italian theme alive with my recipe for my famous Goat Cheese Lasagna that I will be making for Christmas day dinner. Stay tuned!
Crab Claw Tagliatelle in a White Wine Butter Sauce
- 6 Tbsp Butter
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp of fresh course chopped garlic
- 1 Tbsp garlic paste for creaminess
- 1 1/3 cup white wine
- The Juice of 2 large, juicy lemons, 3 if you aren’t getting much liquid
- 2 lbs. frozen, pre-cooked crab claws
- 1/2lbs. tagliatelle pasta
- 3 Tbsp Curly Leaf Parsley, plus more for garnish
- 5 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese, plus more for garnish
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Defrost 2 lbs. crab claws to package directions
Melt 6 Tbsp butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat
Add 2 Tbsp fresh garlic and 1 Tbsp garlic paste to butter and stir
Cook garlic for 2 minutes and add 2/3 cup olive oil, stir
Add 1 1/3 cup white wine and the juice of 2 large, juicy lemons
Add in 5 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add more or less depending on how lemony the sauce tastes
Once sauce is put together cook your pasta to package directions, just al dente
Add your crab claws to your sauce and cook for 5 minutes, just until your crab is warmed through. Toss in 3 Tbsp freshly chopped curly leaf parsley.
Toss Pasta, Sauce, and Crab together and serve with extra Parmesan cheese and parsley for garnish