
Bigoli Nero by David Nayfeld
22 Jan 2025
Ingredients
Bigoli nero: 150 g
Partanna Extra Virgin Olive oil: 25 g (plus an additional 15 g for finishing)
Garlic: 3 g (sliced)
Chili flakes: Pinch
Parma butter: 15 g
Che Fico Calabrian Chili Bomba: 15 g
Roasted crab stock: 4 oz
Dungeness Crab leg meat: 90 g
Dungeness Crab body meat: 35 g
Curly parsley : 8 g (chopped)
Lemon juice: 25 g
Kosher salt : 4 g to taste
Chef David Nayfeld’s Bigoli Nero combines Dungeness crab’s briny sweetness with Calabrian chili bomba’s spice. Squid ink pasta, roasted crab stock, lemon, and parsley deliver bold flavors and refined textures in perfect harmony.
How to make Bigoli Nero
01.
Prepare the Pasta
- Drop the bigoli nero into a basket of salted, rapidly boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.
02.
Build the Base Sauce
- One minute before the pasta is ready, heat a 2-quart sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add the first portion of olive oil, sliced garlic, and chili flakes to the pan. Toast gently until aromatic, being careful not to burn the garlic or spices.
Tip:
Be meticulous when toasting the garlic and chili flakes—too dark, and they’ll overpower the dish. The balance of bright lemon and herbaceous parsley brings harmony to the rich crab stock and butter.
03.
Combine and Cook
- Add the Calabrian chili bomba to the pan, followed by the drained pasta. Toss together and cook for 1 minute to allow the flavors to meld.
- Pour in the roasted crab stock and reduce it by half to concentrate the flavor.
04.
Finish the Sauce
- Stir in the Parma butter, allowing it to emulsify with the reduced stock.
- Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the Dungeness crab meat, chopped parsley, lemon juice, and a pinch of kosher salt. Swirl the mixture off the heat to achieve a creamy, well-emulsified sauce.
05.
Plate and Serve
- Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl, ensuring the crab and sauce are evenly distributed.
- Finish with the second portion of extra virgin olive oil drizzled over the top.