Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta and Produce
- 200 g dry linguine
- 100 g sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced on a bias
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 10 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, minced
Seafood
- 150 g lump crab meat, picked over for shells
Pantry Staples
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 g red pepper flakes
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 678 kcal
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbohydrates
- 86 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1278 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 73 mg
- Potassium
- 635 mg
- Calcium
- 146 mg
- Iron
- 6.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 102 mg
- Phosphorus
- 408 mg
- Zinc
- 4.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 39 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 61 mg
- Vitamin E
- 5.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 28 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.54 mg
- Niacin
- 9.7 mg
- Folate
- 307 mcg
- Water
- 165 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F.
Submerge the linguine in the boiling water. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and cook until slightly firmer than al dente, about 9 minutes.
During the final minute of the pasta cooking time, drop the sliced sugar snap peas into the same pot. Before draining, carefully scoop out and reserve 60ml of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and peas in a colander.
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, combine the extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Heat gently until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, ensuring it does not brown.
Add the drained pasta and snap peas to the skillet along with the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously with tongs over low heat until the starchy water and olive oil emulsify into a light, glossy sauce.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Gently fold in the lump crab meat, lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped mint until just warmed through. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then divide between warm shallow bowls and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Always pick through lump crab meat with clean fingertips before cooking. Even premium brands occasionally miss small fragments of translucent shell or cartilage.
- Slicing the sugar snap peas on a severe bias increases their exposed surface area, allowing them to release slightly more of their sweet flavor into the pasta while remaining pleasantly crisp.
- The starch from the reserved pasta water is critical. It acts as a binder, encouraging the olive oil and lemon juice to merge into a cohesive sauce rather than separating into a greasy puddle.
- Fresh mint offers an unexpected but deeply traditional coastal Mediterranean pairing with seafood, contrasting the richness of the crab with a cooling, aromatic lift.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store in an airtight container. Seafood quality degrades rapidly.
Reheating: Gently warm on the stove over low heat with a splash of water, though best enjoyed fresh.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is greasy and oil separates from the noodles
Cause: Insufficient starchy pasta water or lack of vigorous tossing
Fix: Add another splash of hot pasta water (or hot tap water) and toss rapidly off the heat until the emulsion re-forms
Prevention: Always reserve more pasta water than you think you need before draining
Crab meat becomes tough, rubbery, or stringy
Cause: Crab was added too early or cooked over high heat
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Only fold the crab in off the heat at the very end of the recipe
Cultural Context
This recipe draws heavy inspiration from the coastal Italian tradition of pairing delicate seafood with bright acidic notes and aromatic fresh herbs. Unlike heavy cream-based sauces commonly found in modern adaptations, authentic coastal preparations rely entirely on olive oil, fresh citrus, and starchy pasta water to create a light emulsion that highlights, rather than masks, the natural sweetness of the crab.
