This recipe started off as a "what am I going to make for dinner?" question. We've all been there, busy weeknight and you're craving pasta. I could eat pasta everyday!
I grabbed a can of Cannellini beans, canned lump crab meat and the rest is history. Having these simple pantry staples to hand means you could make a very fast and nutritious meal in no time. This recipe is quick, easy and delicious. You can whip up the sauce in the time it takes to cook the pasta. Drain, add sauce, toss and serve!
Fettuccine in a Vodka Tomato Sauce with Olives, Crab, Cannellini beans and Kale
Serves 4-6
500 g. dry fettuccine pasta
60 ml.of extra virgin olive oil
1 can of Cannellini beans undrained (the liquid is needed to cook the kale and will also thicken the sauce beautifully)
2 cans lump crab meat (170g. each drained)
1 can peeled whole tomatoes (crush by hand)
200 g. package of curly kale
1tbsp. tomato paste (double concentrate)
2 red chillies seeded and chopped or 1 tsp. dry chilli flakes
120 ml. fresh double cream
70 ml. of good quality Vodka (don't substitute the cheap stuff)
4 large garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
60 g.(a handfull) of pitted Kalamata olives roughly chopped
4 anchovy fillets (do not skip this ingredient, it will not taste "fishy"promise) You will achieve an incredible depth to the sauce, and no-one will know they are there. You can thank me later :)
Salt and pepper to taste, remember the anchovies are salty, so taste, taste, taste as you go. (course sea salt)
1. In a 6 quart stockpot bring 4 quarts of water to the boil. Once boiling, add 2 tbsp. of salt (course sea salt)
2. Add pasta all at once, pushing down until completely submerged. Cook according to package directions, as brands vary, usually 8-11 mins.
3. In a large frying pan on a low heat, add olive oil, garlic and anchovies. Cook stirring until anchovies dissolve.
4. Add Cannellini beans and kale, cook uncovered two minutes until kale is just wilted.
5. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and chillies.
6. Slide frying pan off heat and add vodka. (doing this step off the heat protects you from flareups as vodka has high alcohol) return pan to medium heat.
7. Cook for 1 min. and add double cream, crab and olives. Lower heat to low and cook for 1min. more. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
8. Drain pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta cooking water in case you need a little more sauce. Return to stockpot.
9. Add sauce to pasta in stockpot and toss to coat.
And that's it! Having all ingredients prepped and ready to go will enable you to have this dish on the table in under 20 mins.!
I serve mine with a sprinkling of seasoned breadcrumbs and Grana Padano cheese.
Enjoy....
XOXOXO