Simplicity is the key to showing off the flavour of crab, so don’t be tempted to add other ingredients – not even a smidgen of cream or parmesan. The other essential is absolute freshness – you need to be sure of your fishmonger if buying cooked crabs or shelled meat. From a whole crab, I work on the basis of getting a quarter of its weight in meat. Using only the white meat will give a more delicate result; including the brown meat will give a stronger flavour.

Serves 4 as a starter, 2 as a main

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
1 red chilli, seeds and pith removed, finely chopped
4 spring onions, white parts only, finely sliced
320g spaghettini, tagliarini or linguine
Juice of 1 lemon
300g fresh crab meat (white, or a mix of white and brown)
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A handful of basil leaves

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a small pan and sauté the garlic, chilli and spring onions for 1-2 minutes: they mustn’t colour. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain, leaving about 1 tbsp of water in the pan. Tip in the garlic, chilli, onions and the oil they were cooked in. Return the pasta to the pan, then add the remaining oil, lemon juice, crab and parsley, and season. Mix thoroughly, so that the pasta is well coated, then tear the basil leaves and stir in. Serve immediately.

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