Homemade squid ink fettuccine is topped with shrimp and crab in a simple white wine-garlic sauce in this black pasta dish.
On New Year’s Day, my little Nutmeg asked everyone to say their New Year’s resolutions at dinner. Both girls said they want to learn to cook more in 2020 (whoo hoo!). They want to learn to make cookies, chocolate souffle, chicken tikka masala and about a thousand other random dishes. This is one resolution I can get behind (especially since one of mine is to spend more time with them).
Black pasta, made with squid ink, has been on my cooking bucket list for ages. For one, my picky older daughter likes it. I also had an amazing dish in the City last year that was topped with crab and I wanted to re-create it at home. Thus, the inspiration for this dinner. I found a little jar of cuttlefish ink at my local seafood market so I was ready to go. (You can also buy it online.)
I haven’t made homemade paste in ages, but the most important thing is to get the texture right. I added just the tiniest bit of water at a time to get it how I want. This time, I also let it rest for about 4 hours and I think it made a big difference. Or maybe it was the kids. Pros on their first try. No joke, they were naturals, feeding the dough into the roller to get it thinner and thinner and then through again to cut the fettuccine.
The rest of the dish is pretty easy, so feel free to buy black pasta if you’re not up for making it yourself. Just adjust the cooking time if you get dried pasta. If squid ink isn’t your thing, try my scampi for another simple seafood pasta.
How did it turn out? Little Nutmeg had seconds and Daddy said it was the best dinner I’d made in a while. I’m hoping it’s not the best of 2020 or the year ahead will be a long one 😉 Happy New Year!
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp. squid ink or cuttlefish ink
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Extra flour, for dusting
- 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 12 colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup yellow and red grape and cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ½ lb. limp crab, picked over for shells
- 1 scallion, green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. minced fresh mint leaves
- lemon wedges, for serving
- To make the pasta, put the flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the eggs, squid ink and oil. Mix until the dough starts to come together. If it's too dry and crumbly, add a little water (1-2 tsp. at a time), until it comes together.
- Put the dough hook on the mixer and knead for 5 minutes. Remove the dough and knead by hand for another 5 minutes. Divide in half. Flatten each half into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Let rest at least 2 hours.
- Once dough has rested, unwrap one piece of dough and cut it in half. Dust it lightly with flour. Pass it though a pasta maker to desired thickness, then cut to desired shape. Set aside, covered with plastic or a towel to keep it from drying out.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter along with the olive oil. When hot, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and season with a little salt. Cook the shrimp 1-2 minutes per side, or until opaque. Remove shrimp to a plate and keep warm. (Keep the butter and wine mixture in the pan).
- At this point, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes or until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, add the tomatoes to the skillet.
- Heat remaining butter in another small pan and gently heat the crab, seasoning to taste with salt.
- When pasta is al dente, drain it and transfer it to the skillet, along with ½ cup of the pasta water. Toss it with the sauce. Drizzle with more olive oil if it seems a little dry.
- Divide pasta and sauce among 4 plates or bowls. Top with 3 shrimp each and then divide the crab among the plates. Sprinkle with the scallion and mint. Squeeze a little lemon over the top and serve immediately.
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